Love Bites
by KricketWilliams
Summary: After leaving the movie theater with Morgan, things change for Garcia in ways no one would ever expect. I don't own a thing.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Oh, boy!...This story is a little different than my usual Criminal Minds stories... It's crazy, but I promise-I put as much of my usual love for the CM characters into this thing...I ended up loving it and I hope you do, too...Please give my little experiment a chance and enjoy!

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**Chapter 1 **

"Oh my God! That was the best movie ever!" Penelope gushed. They had just stepped out of the movie house on Fairmont and Third that they loved to go to. Whenever Derek didn't have a case on a Friday night, they went to see the latest movie—sometimes a double date with others, sometimes a double feature.

"Yeah, it was pretty damned funny," Derek said as he chuckled. He wrapped one arm around her and reached for his cell with the other, turning it off of silent mode. He slid it back into his pocket.

"I can't believe Catrina Engle was that funny," Penelope said, leaning farther into Derek's warm and comfy side. "I mean, she is usually in roles like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth and all that kind of lacking humor sort of stuff, but this was—"

The loud chiming from Derek's phone interrupted her. He stopped walking—like a typical man, he couldn't multitask—and reached for the phone again.

Reading the display, he began to frown. "Baby, I'd better get this." He hit dial and a moment later said, "Yeah, Momma. What's wrong?"

Considering Derek didn't call any other woman momma in a flirtatious manner, this was probably his actual mother he'd called. She waited patiently as he talked, getting one side of the conversation.

"Pipe burst...Cousin Janine? When did she move—" Derek released her and began to pace. "Yeah, Momma, I understand. Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." He hung up the phone and rubbed the back of his neck. "P, I gotta go. My cousin moved into town, and she is having some major plumbing issues. She called some plumbers, but they are charging highway robbery, and they are ankle deep in water already."

"Ohhhh," she said sadly, the compassion she felt resounding clearly in her voice. "Go. Go, my love. Fly to be by her side, oh steadfast hero of mine."

"Uh uh," he said, shaking his head and putting his arm around her. "I will walk you to your car first. Then I'll go."

She shook her head. "Don't be silly. I'm parked under the lights, it's a nice night, and there are lots of people around. Go."

He hesitated. "Baby—"

"I will be _fine_," she said, giving him a playful shove. "Go!"

He cupped the side of her face in his large hand and smiled appreciatively at her. "You're the best, sweetness."

She sighed dramatically. "I know..."

Listening to his chuckle fade as he walked away, she smiled and started walking across the sidewalk toward the lot her car was parked in. As she walked, her bravado she had given Morgan began to fade. There was a lot of scary things in that not-so-savory area of Quantico. There were some drunks sleeping outside the bar on the corner, some rough looking people on motorcycles...

Oh, she was so stereotypical! She needed to get to her car, and everything would be fine.

After what felt like forever, she reached Esther and unlocked her door. She climbed into the big orange caddy and fired her up. A moment later, she was driving down the road, singing loudly to the radio.

"_I'm on the edge...the edge...the edge...the edge! I'm on the edge...of gloryyyyy!"_

Ten minutes later, she was pulling into the underground parking garage for her building. It was always nice, toasty warm, and she had a numbered spot with her name—literally P. Garcia—on it.

"Frack!" she cried as she reached her assigned spot. Mr. Pommelroy, her neighbor, had backed his Hummer into the spot and crossed over the line. Morgan's motorcycle would not fit in the space he'd left, much less her sizable Esther.

Growling, she turned around and headed out of the garage. There was a lot of good street parking around her building, and it didn't look like it was going to rain anytime soon. She checked the front near her courtyard and saw that it was full. There must've been some sort of party going on, which wasn't uncommon, considering it was a Friday night. She'd have to find another spot.

Pulling along the side of her building, she found a spot near the alley. There was light from the streetlamp and lots of traffic. Esther would be visible, so that spot would work. She parallel parked alongside her complex and shut her car off.

She reached for her purse and then turned around to reach for her tote bag. She noticed she had a few clothing items from the gym that needed to go in, as well as a book she had wanted to finish recently. As she packed those things, she noticed a few more computer magazines she had purchased.

_Might as well bring it all_, she thought with a sigh, grabbing the plastic bag from the magazine stand, too.

Stepping out of Esther, she locked the door and then picked up all the bags in an unsteady jumble. Suddenly, she wished she wasn't wearing such high heels. She started the slow trek to the front of her building and changed her mind and turned toward the alley behind. After all, she lived in one of the safest areas in town, and she knew there was nothing to be afraid—

It came out of nowhere and knocked her to the ground. The air had been knocked completely out of her; she tried to gasp and scream, but there was no use.

A man was kneeling astride her waist. His eyes seemed to glow; the evil intent and malice he had for her was blatant in his expression. That couldn't be right... She didn't recognize him at all. His contempt must've been for humankind in general.

She sucked a needed breath in and tried to scream, but he clamped his hands around her neck and began to squeeze.

She kicked her legs and tried to struggle, but he was a big man, far bigger than Morgan or Hotch. She punched at him with her arms, trying to grip at his wrists and disengage him from her windpipe, but it was useless. He was so very strong.

As a deep, almost calming darkness started to come over her, Penelope felt her lids begin to close. She hadn't thought that being choked to death would have a peaceful element...

The thought made her open her eyes again.

_This can't be it. This cannot be how I am going to die,_ she thought, but the shadows from lack of air overwhelmed her.

Just as she began to plummet rapidly toward eternal slumber, she felt a sharp bite on her neck...


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! LOL...I think everyone kind of gets what's happening here (Except for poor P in the story!)..._

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_**Chapter 2**_

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

The steady sound of water dripping nearby caused Penelope to stir on the terribly uncomfortable bed she was lying on. Her bed was a pile of pillows, blankets, nighttime squeeze creatures, and a comforter, not this scratchy, flat rock. She wondered where her pillow was and why she felt so uber cold. Even if she had kicked off the blankets while she was sleeping, she wouldn't have felt this cold. Had she fallen asleep with the window open last night?

Grumbling, she rolled over and clunked her head against something hard and unforgiving. Reaching out with her hand to decipher what had ended up in her bed, she felt…

_Concrete?_

Immediately, Penelope's eyes flew open, and she scrambled to sit up. The world was terribly blurry and magnified in intense, near hallucinogenic images.

Glasses...she must've lost her glasses.

She reached up to her face and felt that her glasses were in place. She frowned and then removed them…and could see crystal clear. She hadn't been able to see without her glasses since she was five years old, and even then it had been blurry. Had she fallen, hit her head, and suddenly could see? She'd heard of that happening to some people, even saw that on a television show one time years ago. Maybe that was it.

Groggily, she looked around and saw that she was sitting in the middle of the alley on the west side of her building. It had to be where she was; she recognized the rather ugly fire escapes and potted plants of her neighboring complex.

As she turned her head to get a better view, a dull ache shot through her neck. She reached her hand up to rub it, but it didn't help assuage the ache. With a grimace, she rubbed her neck some more and tried to bring her thoughts in order. Nothing was making sense at all.

What in the world had happened to her?

Penelope gave up trying to think her way out of this mess; it just wasn't going to work with how punch drunk she was feeling. She needed to get moving, get her energy circulating, and get in her apartment. As she brought her hand back down from her sore neck, she looked at it and saw two dull red smears of blood. Normally, the sight of blood made her squeamish, frightened, and made her stomach ache, but it didn't this time. She had the strangest, most disgusting urge she'd ever had in her life.

The urge to lick those spots away.

Suddenly, the last few hours came back to her, and she began to tremble. She'd been attacked! Some man, some thing, had jumped out of the alley and knocked her flat. He'd choked her, hard, nearly breaking her neck, and had knocked her head into the pavement repeatedly. Was it a robbery? She looked around and saw that her purse and her other items were strewn around, so that wasn't the attacker's intent...

Even more panic soared through her body as she thought of the worst thing possible. Oh, _God_! Had he _raped_ her?

Praying as she glanced quickly down her body, Penelope saw that her clothes were intact. She could even feel her panties. She could feel everything really intensely—including the fishnet of her tights felt nearly chafing against her legs.

He'd bitten her. She suddenly remembered that he'd bitten her, hard, on the neck. That was the last thing she could remember. What kind of crazy attacker knocked women down in alleys and bit their neck? Like some sort of vampire…

Penelope touched her neck again, carefully this time. When she saw the imprint, it was two perfect dots, spaced only a couple of inches apart…directly where her pulse should've been...

_Should've been?_

Panicking, she reached her hand up again to her throat, trying desperately to feel for a pulse. There was nothing. Nothing under her fingers; nothing at all. She reached for her wrist, tried the area there, and then tried squeezing her finger to make blood pool and turn purple.

Nothing happened.

She had to be mistaken, or she was dead. She couldn't be dead...

Penelope felt her stomach lurch to her throat. Quickly, she scrambled to her knees and began to expel the contents of her stomach. There wasn't much there; she'd been dieting recently to fit in a new designer skirt she'd bought. She gagged and gagged, and then she sat back on her heels and did the thing that was the most logical to her at the moment...

She began to cry.

Good God, what in the hell was going on? This had to be a joke. A really horrible joke played on her by someone who didn't like her very much. Or a bad dream.

"If I am being punked, I've had enough," she called out, her voice hoarse and scratchy. She immediately coughed and then spat.

Somehow, from the depths of her being, she had a feeling this was real, and she knew she needed to act. She dragged her victim's advocacy training out of her subconcious and started gathering thoughts. Wracking her brain, she reached for her purse. She needed to call the police, call Derek... He'd tell the team, and they would catch this guy and fix her so she could go on with her life—

_What life? You don't have a pulse._

That thought stopped her from doing anything else. She reached for her neck again, and still, there was nothing. _Oh God_... She _was_ dead, she had to be...a ghost.

But she could breathe, she could think, and she could spit and throw up...and not ectoplasm like _Ghostbusters_ ghosts. She didn't crave brains like a zombie. Instead, she thought blood looked tasty, and she had a bite mark on her neck...

Penelope shook her head and started to smile a little bit. This was crazy. This was a crazy dream. This _had_ to be a dream. What she was thinking was not logical at all—could dead people think?—so thinking really didn't count.

Because what she was thinking was a vampire had attacked her…in Quantico…at seven PM at night.

_A freaking vampire._

Rising to her feet, she swayed slightly. She felt woozy, and her stomach ached. She was hungry, and she was freezing. She'd probably been attacked, but she wasn't dead. That was certifiably nuts. Soon, she would wake up in her bed, and everything would be fine. Like the children book said, this was a bad, bad, terrible, no good, awful dream.

She stumbled through the alley to her apartment, grabbing her purse out of pure habit, and climbed the stairs to her landing. She wished Morgan were here. He could hold her and make her much warmer and tell her that everything was going to be okay. No one made things better like Derek did.

As she entered her apartment, she cranked the heat and then stumbled to the kitchen. She opened her refrigerator and reached for some leftover lo mein she'd had for lunch yesterday. She opened the container, and her stomach roiled. There was a terrible smell to it, like nothing she'd ever smelled before. Sour, cloying, and beyond nasty, it coated her tongue and her throat and made her gag again.

Quickly, she tossed it into a garbage bag and sealed it, getting the stink away from her. That food had gone rancid in a remarkably short period of time. Maybe that was why she was feeling so awful and having bad dreams…because she had acute food poisoning.

Reaching into her fridge, she pulled out the cheese. She had a nice block of cheddar; that would make her feel better. As she opened it, that same horrific smell started to rise and overtake her. She threw the cheese back in the fridge and swallowed the saliva that had pooled in her mouth.

Penelope rubbed her arms, trying desperately to warm up, but nothing was helping. She checked her thermostat; her apartment was at eighty degrees now.

Making her way to the bathroom, she looked into the mirror.

Her skin, usually a healthy pink, was beyond pale. She had a grayish pallor that screamed unhealthy to any living person. Her eyes were dull, the whites incredibly white without any red veins at all. She turned her head to the side and looked at her neck. The two puncture marks were extremely visible against her deathly pale skin.

All the facts, as crazy as they seemed to be, came rushing to her foggy brain. She had no pulse. Food disgusted her. She had an unnatural pallor and a bite mark that signified what she still couldn't believe.

_Vampire._

"No way," she whispered to herself, feeling panic rising again_. "_No freaking way."

She startled a bit as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had a reflection. Vampires aren't supposed to have reflections, so maybe...maybe...

At that moment, Penelope heard birds chirping. The sun would be coming over the horizon soon. She didn't know how much of vampire lore was true, but she had a feeling something about sunlight wasn't good. That seemed to show up in every story she'd ever read, besides _Twilight_. She didn't want to find out by frying like a burnt piece of toast in the sun's rays.

Now sparkling…that would be all right.

As quickly as she could, she pulled all of her blinds and shut her curtains. She didn't _really_ believe this was happening, but just in case…

It seemed to take her forever to get that task done, but she finally closed the last blind. She felt so tired, like she could barely raise her head. Sleepy. She needed to sleep. This was all just a dream. A vampire with a reflection...who ever heard of such a thing? She would wake up...and like any good TV drama, she'd find Bobby Ewing standing in her shower.

She giggled—a strange, nearly hysterical sound—as she crawled into her bed. She huddled the blankets around her in an attempt to get warm. At least she hadn't lost her sense of humor.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. I am so glad that you guys are giving this story a chance. I am normally not a supernatural kind of gal, but this story just stuck with me and with my heart...Thanks to Rogue, Ilovetvalot, Jenrar and especially Dragon Claymore for your support and for letting me know I got my vamp knowledge right!

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**Chapter 3**

Derek was on a mission.

"Morning, Morgan," Prentiss said, about to take a bite of a big, jelly-filled bismark. She was standing next to JJ, who had a bearclaw in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. The BAU was very stereotypical law enforcement when it came to doughnuts, and everyone had their favorites.

He grunted a greeting and rushed past them; he didn't have time to stop. Turning down the hall, he stopped at the office next door to his, the one to the lair of Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia. He saw a light in her office—thank God—and he had questions for that wonder woman of his.

After finishing at his cousin's new place, he'd tried calling her, but he'd gotten no answer, and he was worried sick.

Rapping once sharply on the door, he opened it and said, "Baby Girl, where have you been..."

Penelope's chair turned, and an unpleasant and unexpected face greeted him.

"Lynch?" he asked incredulously. "What in the hell are you doing here? Where's Penelope?"

Kevin sighed, picked up his bacon and maple coated doughnut, and took a big bite. The sickly sweet scent of fake maple rose in the lair and tickled Derek's gag reflex.

"Since she is no longer involved in my life," he announced with a full mouth, "I haven't a clue where _your_ Baby Girl is."

Ever since Kevin had broken up with Penelope a month back, he didn't even bother pretending friendship or civility. It was obvious that he disliked Derek, and probably rightly so. Derek adored Penelope and didn't hide that fact around Lynch. He wouldn't have put up with having someone like himself in a relationship with Penelope, if he'd had her as his girl.

Damn, that was complicated!

"Look, Lynch," he said shortly. "Why are you here?"

"My superior, Analyst Wells, was called by your superior, Agent Hotchner, who asked for someone to fill in for the week." Kevin had a pensive look, like he was not at all pleased about having to do this duty. That made sense; the BAU team wasn't very fond of Kevin Lynch, either. "Since I had filled in when Penel—Analyst Garcia was shot, I was a natural choice." He shot a saccharine grin. "Lucky me."

Derek frowned as he watched Lynch. Although Kevin tried to keep an impassive face, Derek could see the hurt in lines etched around his mouth and eyes. He was still in a lot of pain over his breakup with Garcia. Again, Derek couldn't fault him—he didn't know what he'd do if he lost his Baby Girl.

"Thanks for helping out," he said shortly before leaving the office. He couldn't comfort the man—that would be asking too much—but he wouldn't rub salt in his wounds, either.

Two minutes later, he was in Hotch's office, ready to fall over.

"Emergency vacation?" Derek asked, the surprise evident in his voice.

"No, emergency leave," Hotch reiterated, looking up at Derek from his paperwork. "Garcia called this morning and said she needed extended time off. She asked for an emergency leave for two weeks at least—"

"At least?"

"—and I granted her however much time she needed," Hotch continued, as if Derek hadn't interrupted.

Derek narrowed his eyes. "Hotch, Penelope doesn't ask for time off like that, not without telling me or anyone else."

"I understand you have a close friendship with her, but her time off is per her discretion."

Derek bristled and immediately thought of correcting Hotch. Stating they had a close friendship seemed almost false to him. Their relationship was so much more. However, stating what they did have was harder than he thought. Truth be told, he'd wanted to ask her out ever since she'd broken up with Lynch, but he knew she needed time, and there never seemed to be the perfect moment to take that step.

After much internal debate, he muttered, "We're more than just close. She would've mentioned it to me."

"She told me, Morgan," Hotch said simply and directly, shutting him down. "I'm her supervisor; that's enough."

"For a couple of weeks?" Derek asked incredulously. "Come on, man. You know something is wrong."'

Hotch sighed, and Derek could tell he was relenting. "Morgan, I know something is wrong," he said, putting his pen down, "but I also know that Penelope has been through a rather traumatic breakup, a near engagement with negative results, and most likely has a lot of soul searching to do."

Derek grumbled a wordless agreement to that.

"She may not have told _you_ she needed time; she may not have known _herself_ that she needed it," Hotch stated wisely. "However, she needs it, she asked me for it, and I am going to grant her all the time she needs."

"I know."

Hotch arched a brow at Morgan. "If she chooses to talk to you, that's her prerogative, but I can't legally say more than that."

Derek sighed heavily and sank into the chair opposite of Hotch. He rested his elbows on his knees and scrubbed a hand over his face, the anguish he was feeling just rolling over him in waves. "I'm just so damned worried about her," he said gruffly, glancing up at Hotch, unable to mask his hurt and concern. "I know something's wrong. I can feel it."

Hotch gave a small, reassuring smile. "Give her time, Derek. Garcia will talk to you."

Derek still had his doubts. "Are you sure?"

Hotch raised a brow. "It's Garcia; she always talks to you."

That made Derek smile a little. He stood and then made his way back to his office.

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Derek gave her time. He gave her until Friday, after countless text messages and voice mails. He'd never been so worried in his life. He didn't sleep; he barely ate. He'd lost four pounds. The entire BAU team saw him falling apart. Everyone gave him a wide berth, and Reid all but disappeared every time he came around.

Of course, he hadn't truly given her that time completely. He'd driven past her apartment before and after work and seen that her shades were drawn. There were never any lights on, and Esther looked like she hadn't been moved in days. That only added to his worry...

_"You're worrying about nothing, Morgan," Prentiss said. "She's just been through a breakup—and, you of all people, know how ungracefully Kevin took it. She sent us an email that her nerves were shot.""_

_He shook his head. "Something is wrong..."_

_"Try to calm down," JJ said, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze._

_Derek felt like jumping out of his skin. "I can't. There's a problem; I know it." He couldn't explain why; he just did._

_"She took a trip, Derek," Em said, and then took out her android. "Look; she just sent us a tropical picture on her phone."_

_"Oh, let me see," JJ replied with curiosity._

_"It's a fake," he growled._

_Prentiss rolled her eyes. "You didn't even look."_

_"I don't need to look," he said, folding his arms over his chest. "It is." _

_Emily and JJ exchanged disbelieving looks, like he was off his rocker. He was...with worry for Penelope._

_"I checked her place," __he snapped, needing to prove his theory to them and to himself__. "She's not on a trip."_

_"What did you find?" JJ __asked warily._

_"Would she go, leaving Esther's top down and open to the elements?" Derek glared stonily. "For a week? Maybe more?"_

_Emily paled. She knew as well as he did that Esther was Penelope's baby._

_JJ's big blue eyes opened and he watched as panic set in. "Oh, man..."_

Derek felt like an ass for having done that to JJ and Prentiss. That had only served one purpose—making them as worried as he was.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He left work early and drove over to Penelope's apartment and staked it out. He knew she was there; he didn't know how he could tell she was there, but he knew it. He'd bet his life on it.

As he sat out front, the postman stopped by. The man stepped out of his truck carrying a box. He walked up Penelope's steps and rang the doorbell. Someone must've answered the intercom system, because the man left the box on the steps and then walked away, shaking his head in confusion.

Less than a minute later, Derek saw a hand in a dark glove reaching out the door to nab the box. However, it wasn't just any dark glove... It was a dark glove with rhinestone Hello Kitty faces all over it.

_Jackpot!_

"Garcia!" he called out, running across the road in front of a honking truck. He flipped them the bird and then continued running.

The hand quickly left the door, dropping the package.

"Garcia! Wait!"

Taking the steps two by two, he reached the door just before it shut. He yanked it open and started up the half flight to Penelope's apartment.

He pounded on the door. "Garcia! Open this door! Garcia, it's me, Morgan. Come on..."

No answer.

"Garcia, come on, angel. Open the door! You haven't answered my calls or my texts for days, you don't email me back..." He growled in frustration. "Come on!"

No answer.

"I know you're in there, sweetness," he cajoled, trying to tease. "Don't make me spank that ass when I see you!"

Still no answer.

Derek was running out of options. He had to see her. He had to. He'd go insane if he didn't see her, if he didn't know that she was all right.

"Baby Girl," he said softly. "I've been so worried about you. I can't sleep... I can't eat. I look like shit—and you _know_ how important my looks are to me."

Inside, Derek's heart was breaking. It hurt to be so close to her, and yet so far. He swallowed down the lump in his throat and continued.

"Is it something I did? Tell me how to make it right, baby, and I will. I'd do anything for you." He sighed heavily, shaking his head in frustration. "Sorry... Damn! This isn't about me...

"Look, honey... You don't have to invite me in or keep me for long," he pleaded. "Just... Let me see you so I know you're okay. Please."

It was then he heard the lock on her door turn.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews and sorry for the wait. FF would not let me on for the whole afternoon yesterday-boo hiss! Hope you enjoy!

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**Chapter 4**

The moment Penelope opened the door, she knew it was a big mistake. Although she longed for contact with him, she had a feeling she would be irresistibly attracted to him...and not just in the sexy, usual way she was attracted to him. The scent of his blood—deliciously sweet, salty, and savory—made her stomach grumble like it hadn't in over a week.

She'd been right in protecting Derek from what she now knew for sure she was. After less than ten minutes of being near him, she had to open the door and see him. Oh, she was miserably weak! If the same thing had happened to him, he would've resisted his urges and flown all the way to Tibet to prevent himself from injuring her. Now, she had to rely on her willpower.

She and willpower had never been good friends...she had the hips to prove it!

Swallowing the pooling saliva in her mouth, she choked out, "Hello, Derek."

His intensely worried look struck her non-beating heart and made it ache as he swept his gaze over her. That really sucked; she didn't think it was right that a nonfunctional organ could still feel pain.

"Penelope...are you okay?" he asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

Resisting the urge to throw herself in his arms, she nodded quickly. "Yes. I'm fine."

His frown increased. "Momma, you do not look okay. You're pale, and you look miserable...and did your stomach just rumble?"

Oh, God, he smelled good! She was overwhelmed with hunger, and she realized suddenly that it was not just the physical need for food. She wanted to jump him, to rip his clothes off piece by piece, and ride him like he was a bull and she was a rodeo champion.

She could feel herself blanching inwardly, which was not too easy, considering she had a lack of blood to begin with. Good God, she was horny, hungry, and her head was swimming with the most depraved images she could muster. Why, oh, why, did this have to happen with Morgan?

She'd been around other people—people who were not afraid to walk the streets at night—and she hadn't had anything more than a mild desire to taste their blood. It was something that had surprised her; she'd always read that vampires had crazy blood lust, especially when they were "newborn." She didn't. She'd started thinking she could be in a stadium full of people and their necks would be safe.

She'd read that vampires had sexual lust, too. Well, the private parts of the stadium goers were safe from her, too; she hadn't even had an inkling to make love.

Until now. _Now_ she practically vibrated with need...for her best friend.

Shuddering, she closed her eyes and said, "D…you need to go…"

"Hell, no," he said, pushing on the door. "Baby, if you got the flu, I don't care. I am not going to let you sit there and be sick all by yourself."

"Derek, I'm not sick!" she cried, and then swallowed convulsively again because of the massive amount of mouthwatering she was doing.

"Bullshit," he snapped. "This is damned ridiculous. I don't care if you have a fucking contagious zoo flu and my dick's gonna fall off if I catch it."

Oh, dear...he was serious! First off, he was swearing like a madman; second, he'd threatened his—

She didn't get to finish the thought. Derek barked, "I'm coming in."

She yelped as he began shoving the door open.

She started stepping away from him in rapid succession, until she tripped over her couch. "Derek…please leave. Please…"

Being as physical a man as she had ever seen, he took two steps toward her and scooped her up in his arms. "You are going straight to bed, and I am making you my momma's chicken soup."

Penelope went positively rigid in his arms as she fought valiantly against the urges that were nearly overwhelming her. Squinting her eyes shut, she balled her fists at her side, and her body was like a plank, lying across his arms. The urge to drink from him and make love to him, to bury her face in his neck and ride him like the stallion he was, was choking her, nearly drowning her with want.

_Save him. You have to save him!_ she chanted internally.

She was trying so hard not to hurt him, she broke her nails digging them into the palms of her hands.

_Please, God...don't let me hurt him..._

Derek stopped in his tracks. "Penelope...?"

She didn't pay any attention to him. All of her strength and energy was concentrated on not touching him...biting him...tasting him...quenching this incredible burning thirst that made her throat raw and aching and her gut spasm.

Placing her back on her feet, he grasped her shoulders in his hands. "Woman, what in the hell is going on?"

She stayed in that position, the scent of him—oh, God, that delicious, incredible smell of him... Her gums retracted, and her canine teeth lengthened, biting into her bottom lip.

"Baby Girl...I want to help you," he said urgently. He cupped her face in his hands. "Baby...look at me."

She lost the fight. Her eyes flew open, and she bared her teeth. "Back off!"

* * *

Just as she growled the command at him, he released her and took a flying step backward, tripping over her purple loveseat and landing on his ass.

_Holy Mother of God... What in the hell was that?_

Derek was shaking from his head to his toes, and he knew sometime later, he should check his pants. Damn...that was..._damn__..._

Speechlessly, he stared at her as she snarled, glowering at him like he'd caused her nothing but misery, and then stomped into her kitchen. In a pot on her stove, she was warming something. She removed a plastic bag. It looked like it was filled...with...

_Blood?_

His stomach rolled. He was going to be sick. What had happened to his Penelope?

He had to be imagining this shit!

"Baby…"

"Not now!" she hissed, and then turned around.

He saw her shoulders bunch, a sign that she was bringing the bag to her mouth, and he knew damn well she was drinking the fluid. She reached for the counter, and then she took a heaving breath or two before she turned and looked at him.

"I'm sorry," she began, her voice scratchy and low, "but you are not safe here. You need to go."

The pain in her expression was palpable, and it killed Derek to see her that way. He scrambled to his feet. "Baby Girl, let me help—"

"Stay back!" she ordered, putting her hands up to stop him from stepping forward. "You can't help me. You can't. Just...go."

"I need answers, P," he said, not advancing on her, but not stepping away. "I need to know."

"What do you need to know?" she replied, scowling at him.

"Everything!" he snapped back. He threw his hands in the air and shook his head. "You ignore me for a week, no calls, no texts. You lied in your emails, and baby, you never lie. I'm worried sick… I need to know why. I see you, and you seem to hate me, and—"

"I don't hate you!" she cried out, the anguish on her face palpable. "Derek, I don't want to hurt you."

"You're hurting me by not telling me."

"Not as badly as I will if you stay," she hissed, and then took a deep breath, like she was trying to calm herself. "Derek...I love you, but you have to go. I don't know why this is affecting me so badly around you...but I should've known. I guessed it." She looked at him with such longing and sadness. "With you, it's always been more intense…more incredible…more _everything_."

He smiled. He felt the same way. They were the best of friends, and they cared about each other with an intensity that shamed other relationships he'd had—even romantic ones. Now, he knew they needed to take that step and explore more. They'd been each others everything...

It was just the tip of the iceberg for them.

"Baby, I know," he said softly, encouragingly. "That's why you have to tell me."

She groaned and then looked up at him. "You're not going to leave until I do, are you, you stubborn ass?"

He chuckled. "You know me well."

"Okay," she began, her eyes darting around the room, "but you need to stay right there. Not one step closer. I am going to sit over there." She pointed to the opposite corner, as far from him as possible.

"I can do that," he said, taking a seat right on the floor near her door.

Looking a bit more peaceful, she took a deep breath and began talking. "Hot Stuff, I know you are going to have a really hard time believing this. _I_ have a hard time believing it."

"I know—"

"Please!" she snapped with an urgent plea behind it. "Don't interrupt."

Wisely, he didn't say a word.

Watching him carefully, she swallowed hard and then licked her lips. "The other night...after the movie, I was attacked."

His stomach flew into his throat. Oh, God. Regret and anger rolled through him. He should've walked her to her car. He should've—

"Not outside the theater," she clarified quickly, still watching his every move. "When I got home. I parked in the alley, and a—" she paused, as if she was having a hard time finding the right word "—a man jumped out and choked me. I thought he was going to kill me..."

"Oh, baby..."

She wiped away quick tears and then said, "He didn't...not right away. He choked me until I nearly lost consciousness...and then he gave me this."

She picked up her long, blonde hair into a ponytail and turned her head to the side. Even from the distance he was sitting, he could see the abrupt puncture wounds on her neck. Two perfect holes with no scabbing on them.

Derek felt the skin on the back of his neck crawl. He knew exactly what those looked like, but...

_Hell, no._

"I woke hours later and stumbled home," she said. "When I looked in the mirror...I knew what had happened. I tried to sleep it off and think it was nothing, but..."

She swallowed and looked at him. "Derek, I'm a vampire."

He shook his head slowly. "No... No way. No fucking way."

"Yes," she said, her chin quivering.

He thought about what he'd seen, her colorless eyes, her fangs...the blood in her pot.

Pounding his fist against his hand, he snapped, "Vampires do not exist!"

"I didn't think so either...until I became one."

"You are _not_ a vampire!"

"No pulse, drinking blood, long fangs..." She smirked sadly. "Sounds like a vampire to me."

She looked so serious, so final. He knew Penelope was dramatic, funny, and wild, but she wasn't this fanatical. She had a good streak of realism that kept her grounded and made her whole. She wasn't a liar...

But vampires? In Quantico?

He stared at her and started to shake, tremors running over his body. "Damn, baby... I... _Damn_."

"I'm freezing cold all the time," she continued. "I don't know what happens in the sun yet. I am scared to find out. I'm trying...to live with this."

"What... How..."

That sad smile appeared again. "I don't know. I have no idea what is true and what isn't. I know I can sleep. And I don't crave everyone's blood. And—"

"How do you know you don't crave everyone's blood?" he asked.

At that moment, he heard a key in her door...

"Garcia! You're up early," Dr. Spencer Reid remarked, stepping into the doorway with a huge box. "I brought a few things and some fresh PRBC's for you..."


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! Eeeep! Stuff is about to hit the fan... LOL...

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**Chapter 5**

Derek sat there, staring in dismay, as Reid walked in within feet from Garcia. He was huffing and puffing—the box he was carrying was overflowing and nearly the same size as the kid himself—and grinning, too.

"I made some extraordinary finds today!" Reid said, bubbling over with excitement as he placed the box on the table and started digging in. "First of all, I found a UV lamp, which I believe will mimic the sun's rays, along with a curette of pure holy water and a few other things for some experimental testing. Of course, I am presuming that you haven't discovered anything significant since I left last night? That is, if you tested what we discussed, which..."

Reid continued to babble in a way that only he could, on and on, spouting facts. He was so absorbed in his task, he didn't pay attention to how unusually quiet Penelope was or notice that Morgan was in the room...and wanted to ring his scrawny neck. There was no doubt Reid had known about this...and for quite a while. No wonder he'd scurried away every time Derek had questioned Penelope's whereabouts!

Morgan was going to kick his ass—and Penelope's, too, once she felt better.

After a few more facts, Reid finally looked up from the box and gave a curious look to Penelope. "Garcia? What's wrong? Is that garlic bulb I procured yesterday still bothering you?"

She shook her head and then pointed with a morose expression to the corner, where Derek rose steadily to his feet.

Reid turned, and then his brows dropped even more in a ferocious scowl. "Morgan… You shouldn't be here."

Out of all the things he'd expected Reid to say, _that _wasn't one of them...

"_I_ shouldn't be here?" he asked incredulously, trying not to shout. _"I_shouldn't be here?"

Reid didn't flinch. "You shouldn't."

"Shit no." Derek barked with nasty laughter."This is gotta be rich. Why the hell do _you _think _you_ should be here and not me?"

"I'm a doctor, the closest to someone scientific in nature that Penelope knew," he reasoned quickly and calmly. "Naturally, I'd be the logical choice."

He glanced at P and then at Reid again. "She's_ my _baby girl…"

"She's still your baby girl!" Reid argued as his hands went up defensively. "I wouldn't step between what you two have with a ten foot pole!"

"I know that!" Derek snapped.

Reid lowered his hands slowly, in a calming gesture that Derek had seen him do in the field a million times to Unsubs he was talking down. "Trust me; this was for experimental purposes only."

Derek swallowed hard. He felt sick, like he was going to puke, his head and his gut swimming with what he was trying desperately to digest. He wasn't mad at Reid—not for his helping—but he couldn't get over the worry he'd had and that he hadn't been there for Penelope when she'd needed him most.

"I should've known about this first," Derek muttered.

Reid shook his head and said the absolute wrong thing again. "Morgan, it's for your own good—"

"For my own good?" Morgan yelled, his anger rising and his nostrils flaring with his ire. "Getting worried sick for days was _good _for me? You running off like the pansy-ass chicken you are every time I had a question about my girl?"

Reid flushed and swallowed, his prominent Adam's apple bobbing. "Ummm..."

"Don't you _ever_ presume to tell me what's good for me and what's not!"

"Derek, please!" Penelope cried, causing him to stare over at his pale and unhappy best friend. "I told him not to say anything to you. Not until I was sure I wouldn't…hurt you."

Derek watched as she leaned against the wall, like the yelling she had just done had zapped all of her strength. His concern rose until he swallowed the bitter pill of what she'd said. Maybe she was...

Wait a damned minute...

"You were afraid of hurting me...but you weren't afraid of hurting _Reid_?" He pointed at Reid and arched a brow in disbelief at her. "I got at least forty pounds of solid muscle on him. I think I'd stand a better chance of defending myself."

"Not necessarily," Reid bravely piped in, drawing his attention.

"Really?" Derek asked, giving him a sarcastic look. "You got some kind of garlic underwear on or something?"

Reid graciously ignored him and started to explain. "When this happened, Penelope contacted me. I suggested we try to meet, but she didn't want to. She was frightened, but she'd hoped I could find something for her that she couldn't find on the internet."

Derek listened, letting it sink in.

"I suggested we meet in stages over the week—through the door, through the window, through a screen," Reid said. "Safe distances, to make sure that she wasn't attracted to my blood."

"You're not," Derek said, spearing her with his gaze.

She shook her head no.

He began to frown, so much so that his forehead ached. "But you still thought you'd be attracted to mine?"

She nodded again.

"And you are?" he asked, knowing the answer.

Bitterly, she laughed. "That would be an understatement."

Reid's eyes popped open in avid wonder, and he stared at Penelope. "Really?"

"Like he's a bowl of Cherry Garcia," she moaned miserably, "with whipped cream and cherries on top."

Derek flinched. That wasn't good; he knew exactly how much P liked her Ben and Jerry's. Not only that, she was staring at him with such obvious want, he felt exposed—and he was an exhibitionist by nature! Instinctively, he rubbed his neck.

"That's why you are over there!" she snapped, watching him carefully. She then glared at Reid and tapped her foot nervously. "I told you. I knew it! I _told you _he would be a problem."

Reid gave her a sympathetic look. "You did."

Penelope huffed. "God! The first time I am right and you're wrong, and I can't even gloat!"

Reid winced. "Sorry..."

"I don't feel better being right. Instead, this goddess wishes she was wrong." Her expression was pure misery before she covered her face with her hands. "This is uberly terrible!"

Derek longed to hold her. "Aww, baby..."

"It isn't. It's remarkable, actually," Reid said, looking over at Morgan. "We're learning something."

"What?" Derek asked flatly.

Derek watched as Reid moved back to the table and removed a Little Playmate cooler. "So far, she hasn't felt an urge toward anyone in her building. Not her landlady or neighbors, the mailman—although she's kept them at distances anyway—and of course, not me."

"Ugh...I don't even eat steak!" Penelope shook her head and shuddered. "I don't want to kill...or even hurt...a living, breathing person."

In a strange irony to Penelope's statement, Reid opened the cooler and began to remove bag after bag of blood. Derek's stomach rolled as he watched him do that. Penelope was going to drink that…

He looked back at Reid to change his thoughts. "No desire for drinking from a human?"

"A person was out of the question from minute one for her," Reid said as he continued unloading the cooler, "and being a vegetarian, drinking animal blood instead of human, like those _Twilight _people she made me read, repulsed her, too."

Morgan threw his hands up in the air. "I don't get it. If she doesn't want anyone else's blood... Why me, then?"

Penelope rolled her eyes and snapped, "Isn't it obvious?"

He frowned at her again in confusion. "No."

For a moment, Penelope glared at him, but then she huffed and turned away. What little color she had rose to her cheeks, causing a very pale blush, like the petals of a blush white rose he'd once seen.

Derek felt awful, upsetting her again. To hell with this; he needed to hold her and get them both out of this nightmare. He took a step toward her. "Baby Girl, I—"

"Ah, Morgan?" Reid interjected, stepping between him. "That's a bad idea."

"Step aside, Reid."

Reid grabbed his shoulders. "As I said before, Penelope had a theory."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Kid, she ain't gonna hurt me."

"She had a feeling that the _attraction_ she felt for someone," Reid said pointedly, "her _physical_ lust, would increase her_ blood _lust…"

Derek blinked, looking around Reid's shoulder at Penelope, who was sitting stoically.

Understanding finally clicked._ Aw, hell_...

"And that," he continued, "would be why she didn't want to call you right away… and rightfully so, it would seem."

As he watched her, Penelope wiped away a tear and looked like she wanted to crawl into the wall and never come out.

"Aww, baby," he murmured, feeling so much compassion for her, it overwhelmed him.

"Well, don't feel too special, sweet cheeks," she said, and then barked a laugh. "I mean, I probably would've tackled Ryan Gossling and Brad Pitt by now."

He smiled; she was keeping her sense of humor. That was a good thing.

"That's my girl," he murmured sadly.

Her chin quivered, and she swallowed hard. "I miss you, Hot Stuff. Don't think I didn't want to call you. I did…so uber much." Her tears were flowing hard as she looked up at him, and the anguish he had felt all week was clear on her face, too. "I really, really, really missed you."

She cupped her hands over her face and began to cry, desperate, desolate sobs wracking her pale body.

Derek ran a hand over his face in frustration. "There has to be something we can do. I can't… Damn it! I can't not be here for her. I have to."

Reid gave him a look of pity as he rushed over and wrapped his arms around Penelope. Normally, that would upset him, both the look and not being the one to comfort his Baby Girl, but Derek felt pitiable. He felt depressed, miserable, angry, and a myriad of other emotions that he couldn't put a finger on.

Reid sighed and cooed to the crying Garcia, patting her back. He looked up after a while. "I'm trying, Morgan. We've been testing out vampire lore, trying to find out what is true and what isn't," he explained. "If I can figure out what is real in this highly imaginable situation, perhaps I can find a cure of some sort."

As he watched Reid comforting Penelope, Morgan said quickly. "Hey... I used to love the vampire movies when I was a kid. Maybe I can help?"

Penelope pushed away from Reid, shaking her head. "No…"

Reid stroked his chin, ignoring her. "That would be helpful. I didn't watch movies like that growing up."

"No!" Penelope snapped. "I can't be around him… He's too irresistible!"

"But you are resisting, baby," Derek said hopefully. "You've been around me for over a half hour, and I've been safe."

He saw a flicker of hope and even more doubt cloud her expression. "I—"

"Sweetheart, you don't want to hurt me any more than I would hurt you," he said quietly. "I have faith in you, Baby Girl."

She smiled at him glumly. "But do I have faith in myself?"

"Only one way to find out." He grinned at her and then said, "Hey, Reid… What else you got in that box?"

Reid smiled hesitantly and then released Penelope, heading to the table he'd put the box on. "Well, now that you asked…"


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. I am so sorry that I am late posting and late on answering reviews; real life has jumped up and bit me like a vampire intent on sucking my time, not my blood. LOL...Please forgive me and I hope you enjoy this update...

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**Chapter 6**

Penelope warily looked at Derek, the longing she felt for him still front and center. Her nerves were shot, and she was jumpy and edgy. Her stomach growled with unsatisfied hunger, like she'd been on a crash diet for a week, and her skin prickled with hot flashes, like she'd drunk five glasses of red wine and then sat in the sun. That was the most bizarre feeling and highly unexpected; this was the first time since she'd been bitten that she actually felt warm.

Perhaps the worst thing, however, was the incredible sexual desire she felt for Derek. She wanted him so badly, she ached with it. Her lips tingled and felt puffy, so much so that she found it difficult to form words. Her nipples were excruciatingly sensitive and hard enough she could cut glass with them, and between her legs…there was so much heat and wetness, she felt like she was being scalded from the inside out.

This would never do. He had to go.

She found that she didn't have long to think about it, however. Reid started unpacking the box again, and she got drawn into what he was revealing.

"First, I brought this UV lamp. This has the exact same frequency as dappled sunlight," he explained, looking directly at her. "We can test on a small patch of your skin."

Penelope nodded. "Okay, that's a good idea. We should—"

"Wait a minute," Derek cautioned from the other side of Reid. His brow was knit in worry, and his protective stance was obvious. "I don't know about that. For every vampire thing I have ever watched, sunlight was fatal."

"Except _Twilight_," Penelope piped up.

He shook his head. "Yeah, but _Twilight_ isn't real."

"Perhaps not," Penelope interjected.

"Glittery skin and animal blood?" He scoffed. "That one is the product of an author's funky imagination."

"Why?"

"Because it's different, baby," he said flatly. "It's so stupid, it _has_ to be fake."

"And turning into a bat is far more realistic?" she asked, quirking a brow at him.

He blinked at her for two seconds, and then the obstinate expression returned to his face. "This is not worth arguing about. You're not doing it…even to prove a point."

She gasped. "Derek—"

"I am not letting you expose yourself to sun so you can turn into a pile of ash!" he growled. "Absolutely not."

Pressing her lips together into a thin line, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "You can't stop me, Derek Morgan."

"The hell I can't!"

"I am a big girl; I make my own decisions—"

"Ah, kids?" Reid shouted above the low roar that was developing between Morgan and Garcia.

Both of the heated parties glanced over at him with no small amount of animosity.

"Are we ready to discuss this civilly?" he asked gently.

They glowered at him but didn't disagree.

Reid took a breath and began objectively. "The fact is...we don't know what is real and what isn't in any of this. It's uncharted ground."

"It's too big of a risk," Derek snapped, still looking obstinate. "You are not playing with my baby girl's life."

"What life?" Penelope snapped back. "I'm already dead!"

"At least you're not deep fried!" Derek argued.

She put her nose in the air. "I like a tan."

"Guys!" Reid threw in with a nervous chuckle and a sardonic smile. "Come on! We need to keep our wits about us. Calm down."

Both Penelope and Derek called a truce again, but it was an unsteady one. Reid could almost see the smoke rising over both of their heads.

"We already know that some things just aren't true," Reid began explaining cautiously. "For instance, Penelope needs to sleep. She gets very tired."

"Just like old school vampires," Morgan said with that know-it-all look that ticked her off.

"But she has a reflection," Reid continued, giving Morgan a raised eyebrow that should've warned him not to count his chickens before they were hatched.

"And I am not about to turn into a bat," Penelope added with her own self-satisfied look, to rub salt in Morgan's proverbial wound.

"But garlic was repulsive to you," Reid said, leveling that same look at Penelope that he'd given Derek seconds earlier.

As both Morgan and Garcia were pouting, Reid smiled, nodded, and continued.

"Because of the repetition and the pure age of the tales surrounding this, I am more likely to believe the folklore and wives' tales that have been out there for a long time. Things like sunlight causing severe damage and wooden stakes causing death."

"Hot Stuff?"

Derek looked over at her. "Hmm?"

She gave him a gentle smile. "I promise to stay away from lumber yards."

Derek winked. "That's my girl."

Reid shook his head and rolled his eyes. "_However_, even the tried and true facts are difficult to ascertain for validity." He paused and reached into the box, removing a massive book that looked ancient. "Hence, why I found this."

They glanced at the front of the book. It was written in a language none of them understood. It looked sort of Italian or maybe old school French…

It said:

_Fabulis Sanguinem _

"What language is that?" Morgan asked.

"It's Latin," Reid explained as Derek picked up the book and thumbed through it. "_Tales of Blood_. I found it searching through catalogs in the library at the Smithsonian."

"Latin?" Derek asked. "I thought vampire tales were from Transylvania?"

"Apparently not, Old school," Penelope teased with a wry grin.

"Actually, vampire myths date back to ancient times, even before the Roman and Greek civilizations, " Reid explained. "However, they were considered more demonic than undead."

Penelope flinched. Both were ugly terms, but being demonic… She didn't want to be thought of as evil.

"The common vampire term we are most familiar with is Irish, from Bram Stoker and his Gothic prototype, Count Vladimir Dracula. His was a romantic vision of vampires, with castles and lost love," Reid explained.

"I always thought vampires were romantic," Penelope agreed and then frowned, adding, "Of course, that's before I became one."

"Dracula's Irish?" Derek added, frowning in confusion.

"No. You were right with Transylvania. Most people believe that Stoker developed his character based on Count Vlad Tepes, a brutal man known as _The Impaler_."

Penelope grimaced. "Nice nickname."

"He wasn't known for romance, however. He was known for torture, death, and mass hysteria," Reid continued. "However, most other older vampire legends do not contain castles. Helping Penelope requires looking into country folklore and history, not Romantic drivel."

"Reid…you don't speak Latin," Derek commented logically. "How is this gonna help us if we don't understand it?"

"Well, I do know a professor that was doing studies in language arts when I was working on my third doctorate," Reid said thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should ask her?"

"A girl, huh?" Morgan said teasingly, elbowing Reid with a sly grin. "Is she cute, pretty boy?"

Penelope rolled her eyes and sighed. "Morgan…"

Reid stroked his chin in thought. "I'd say she's remarkably beautiful…for a seventy-four-year-old grandmother."

That took the wind out of Derek's sails and made Garcia chuckle.

Derek sighed. "Well, where does all this stuff come from? Where do we start?"

"I think you two should test theories while Mildred and I translate," Reid said. "Penelope and I have already tested some things and debunked them."

Derek frowned. "Like what?"

"Superhuman strength," Penelope said with a sad sigh. "Reid beat me in arm wrestling five to zero."

Morgan snickered. "Dang, baby… That is weak."

Reid looked up from another book he removed from the box and briefly frowned.

"But I have good vision. I can see things better than when I had glasses and even before—and I had them when I was seven. Funny…you think I'd remain _blind as a __bat_." She giggled a little. "Get it?"

Derek sighed dramatically and added with a wink, "Disproves my old school vamp again, huh?"

"Mmm hmm," she teased back.

"However, her hearing hasn't increased, and nothing else has changed as far as her senses go," Reid stated.

"No mental powers, either, or any of that other stuff," she said, shrugging rather sadly. "I even tried climbing a tree…and all I did was break two nails. I'm slow, too, and I get easily fatigued."

"Which logically makes sense," Reid started to explain, "since muscles work on oxygen supplied by blood…and she has no blood." He began to frown again. "But having no blood also means you shouldn't be able to move at all, and it's...it doesn't make sense…"

Penelope patted Reid's leg. "Remember: check that part of your brain at the door."

Nodding, he reached over and hugged her closer to his side.

Penelope closed her eyes and sucked in Reid's warmth. More than anything, she needed hugs, love, and understanding. This past week, she'd been in the largest depression of her life, even more so than when her parents died.

Finding out you are mostly dead does that to a person…

At least Reid had been there for her. He'd been a trooper, although this was obviously blowing his brilliant mind, too. It made her sick, confused, and miserable. She hated dragging anyone down with her, but she needed help and she was glad to have him on her side.

He sighed softly, sounding a bit defeated, too. "It's checked, Garcia."

"Thanks, boy wonder," she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

He smiled and blushed just slightly, which caused her to smile.

"Okay," Derek grumbled from across the room, looking prickly.

Watching him, Penelope knew he longed to comfort her, as much as she longed for his comfort. Reid was wonderful, but he wasn't Morgan. Derek should know that, too…even if he did have to be ten feet plus away.

She tried to look on the bright side: at least she was tolerating being around him right now.

"What do we do next, Reid?" she asked, pressing away and rising to her feet.

"Trial and error," Reid said, "starting with sunlight."


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! First of all, I gotta say, "WOW! What a finale!"... I won't spoil for those who haven't seen it yet, but it was worthwhile!...As for the story—time to start turning up the heat just a little...

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**Chapter 7**

"Let's face it," Penelope said with a sigh. "I have no special vampire abilities. As far as vampires go, I'm totally lame."

Sadly, it was looking like that was true for her. It had been three more days, and they'd tested everything—running, strength, bending iron with her mind, jumping, climbing trees again just for the heck of it, getting people to do her bidding—and there was nothing at all different or special from what she'd had before. It was distinctly depressing and satisfying in the same breath. Some benefit would've been nice, but she liked being human. Not having the ability to run at two hundred miles per hour made her feel more normal.

Another thing that made her feel normal was that she was able to control the amount of blood she drank. She could stop while still feeling hungry, and she truly wasn't attracted to anyone else's scent but Derek's. Being able to stop made her feel hopeful that if someday, she ever needed a human donor, she could stop before hurting them.

That was one of the bizarre things she'd found out. As she researched online in her off hours, she discovered several people actually were lining up for people like her to suck their blood. They were called "blood slaves." It was an odd and kinky fetish, and she didn't quite understand the appeal. Apparently, these people were kind of like the BDSM world, and giving blood was a turn on. The whole idea repulsed her—both giving blood and drinking it from someone weirdo on the internet—but if she got desperate, she could do it.

A girl had to live, after all…even if she was dead.

Speaking of hunger, Derek was in her kitchen, warming up a bag for her and grabbing himself a beer. Four days later, and Penelope was able to stand him being near her. He was still deliciously scented, and there were times she needed to push him away rather rapidly. Unfortunately, her fangs were permanently extended when he was around, so much so that she had a slight lisp.

After having performed the sunlight skin patch test with Reid's UV light, Penelope had dared to go out in the sun. She'd started with just a beam coming out of her kitchen window. She'd put her hand under it and had felt nothing but warmth. Next had come her arm, and then her torso. Finally, she'd stood full body behind the glass.

The next day, dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, she'd stepped out onto her balcony. Lowering her hood, she'd closed her eyes and directed her face up toward the sun. She locked it into memory, the feel of the heat on her skin, the warm glow it left behind her eyelids. It was something she'd taken for granted so many times before…

"_You look beautiful in the sunlight," Derek murmured._

_She opened her eyes and smiled happily at him. "Do I sparkle?"_

_He laughed. "Not any more than you usually do, sweetheart."_

Unfortunately, the time on the balcony was short lived. Within ten minutes, she'd begun to feel rather ill, and her skin had taken on a grayish pallor with a dry and flaky texture. Derek had noticed, too, that her scent changed to something funky and off…

"Like what?" _she asked and saw him hesitate._

_His expression was so sad, it broke her nonviable heart._

"_Baby__, I'm so sorry."_

"_Tell me, Derek."_

"_Like rotted meat." _

At first, she'd gasped in horror, but then it made sense to her. She was really nothing but death and decay. Within seconds, she'd quickly pulled on her hood and had returned inside, her heart and her stomach both aching as she'd crawled into bed to sleep.

The next morning, she'd fed on a bag of blood and had felt much better. Both the scent and the pallor had disappeared somewhat.

"Have we tried them all?" he asked, stepping out of her kitchen. He gave her a thoughtful look and her second bag of blood for the day.

"I think so," she murmured, and then huffed and pouted. "Face it… I make a sucky vampire. I'm not fast, I'm not strong, I'm not suddenly beautiful and magnetically attractive—"

"Yes, you are," Derek said quickly.

At least, it sounded like him. A little echoey, but like him nonetheless… Although, she'd been watching him…and his lips hadn't moved.

"Did you just say something?" she asked him.

He frowned. "No."

She giggled and slapped at his arm. "Yes, you did. I just said I wasn't magically attractive, and you said, 'Yes, you are'…which is really sweet, but not true."

Derek's eyebrows shot up, and his forehead wrinkled in surprise. "You heard me say that?"

Immediately insecurity set in like it always did where Derek was concerned—the e man was a chocolate god and she was just a wee...immortal—and Penelope began to doubt herself.

"Umm…you did, did you?" For once, she was glad she couldn't blush as mortification rolled over her. "Gosh, I'm sorry, I—"

"Baby Girl, I didn't say it, but I _thought_ it."

"What?" she asked, blinking rapidly in a astonished manner.

He grinned at her. "I think we know what special power you have."

Excitement roared through her at finally having something different. "That's kinda creepy and kinda cool. Do you really think…?" She paused and then returned his grin. "Test me. Think something."

She watched him, and immediately, the words came up, crystal clear in her head…

_Coney dogs sound good for supper._

She giggled. "That doesn't sound good to me."

Derek laughed. "Da-yum! You did it!"

"Another!" she cried out, so excited, she could barely contain herself.

_My boxers today are red. Wanna see?_

"Derek!" she exclaimed, giggling again…and then she frowned. "I thought you always wore black ones?"

"I do," he said, lifting his shirt and showing the black waistband of his Calvin Kleins under his low riding jeans. "I was testing you."

She closed her eyes and leaned back, a pleasant smile gracing her mouth. "I am so, so happy! I am not such a loser vampire after all."

Derek shook his head and frowned disapprovingly. "There you go again."

"What?" she asked, opening her eyes. "What's wrong?"

He leaned closer and looked her in the eyes. "You tell me…"

She watched closely and heard the words in his head.

_You're wonderful. It hurts me that you don't see it, that you knock yourself down, no matter what you are—human, vampire, or tech goddess. You said you thought you weren't suddenly beautiful… Well, you're not "suddenly" beautiful—only because you have always have been beautiful to me._

"Oh, Derek," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"It's true," he answered, smiling tenderly back at her.

He reached up, his delicious smell causing her stomach to rumble as he brushed a stray curl away from her face.

"You believe me, right?"

She nodded, fighting her urges, wanting so bad to be close to him, even as the blood lust drove through her, begging her to take him.

"As for being magnetically attractive… Momma, you're that, too," he said softly, cupping her cheek in his hand, "to a lot of men."

"Including you?" she asked, her breath coming faster.

"Especially me," he murmured, running his thumb along her bottom lip. "God, baby… I've missed touching you…"

She shuddered with the effort of resisting him, her throat burning with the need for his blood and her fingers itching to touch him. She could feel the wetness pooling between her legs, that scalding hotness in direct opposition to her cold skin. Oh, how she wanted to feel him pulsing in her body and her mouth, thick and wet, his fluids racing out of his body and pouring into hers.

"Hot Stuff," she choked out, pushing away from him. "You have to go."

He moved closer. "Angel girl…"

"I can't fight this!" she cried, her panic rising. She swallowed pooling saliva.

"You just had blood, honey; you're okay," he said calmly. "Breathe, baby...Settle…"

She shook her head. "It didn't work. I'm starving, and I feel like I am on fire! I think I need to look up one of those crazy internet people, and—"

Derek looked at her like she was crazy. "Woman, you are not going to meet up with some diseased person who sells their blood on the internet and start sucking them off."

If she could blush, she would be doing so right now, having just realized why that whole act was thought of as erotic!

"It doesn't matter," she argued, keeping herself on topic. "I am already dead."

"Hell, no," he muttered, staring at her like he was looking into her soul. "And I am not going anywhere."

"You don't understand," she gritted angrily, trying to scramble away from him. Stubborn ass! Did he have no sense of self-preservation? "Get out, Derek. Shoo! Shoo! Leave!"

He reached for her shoulders, and she closed her eyes, unable to look into those molten pools that read with heat and life. "I think you are the one that doesn't understand."

Penelope opened her eyes and looked into his…reading clearly what he was thinking.

_Drink from me._


	8. Chapter 8

AN: So sorry for the wait and thank you for the reviews. I have been out and about like a crazy momma all weekend...Working on catching up on everything now... As for the chapter...In case you were wondering why vampire stuff is erotic... this is why *wink*...

* * *

**Chapter 8**

He didn't know why he'd suggested that she drink from him; he just knew he had to let her do it. It was truly a gut feeling, one that rose from deep inside and consumed him. Since his youth, when he'd learned the hard way that things that seemed wrong usually were, Derek had always followed his gut and preached to others that they should follow theirs, too.

From the look on her face, Penelope's gut was telling her to have him for dinner. A warm wave of lust rolled over him at the thoughts those words conjured in his head, but he banished them quickly. He needed to focus on Penelope.

When he watched her face, Derek saw fear written in her expression, along with a longing that nearly took his breath away. That yearning… He felt it, too. The desire to be close to her, to hold her, be buried inside of her, was nearly overwhelming. He knew that her longing also included her blood and sexual lust, but he wasn't certain how much was that and how much she simply needed _him_. The need to hold her close—whole body, physically close—was far more for him than anything else.

He missed his baby girl.

Derek stepped closer, and she backed away from him, trying to take equal steps from him. She shook her head slowly, even while her gaze called to him, her eyes—now a paler blue than her usual midnight—echoed the hunger he felt in his soul.

He followed her until she was backed against her door, and he continued to advance.

She swallowed convulsively, and he caught a glimpse of her pink tongue as she licked her lips. "Derek, no... I can't do—"

"Shhhh," he said, pressing his finger against her lips. Her mouth felt cool to the touch, moist and almost clammy, and her short, harsh breaths ruffled the few hairs on the back of his hand.

The panicked look in her eyes rose, and she blinked rapidly. "I...I can't. I...I—"

"Easy," he murmured, like he was gentling a wild animal, trailing his fingers down her jaw, over to the side of her neck, as he had done to her many times before.

Her skin was cold and dry, decidedly not human. It shocked him, and he had to fight immediate recoil. Penelope had been so warm, and her pulse had thrummed under his fingertips, usually matching the beat of his own heart. Now...there was nothing.

A part of him, deep inside, started to have doubts about what he was doing. What if this was another vampire power she had, this power to entice him and make him give her his blood? What if it wasn't his gut but something more sinister that she had no control of...

He glanced back at her, meeting her eyes.

Penelope was echoing his concerns. "Derek?"

That look immediately took away any worries he might have had. This was Penelope, his baby girl, and he needed to reassure her. He couldn't have her heading out, grabbing some person from the internet, and sinking her fangs into them. That wasn't safe, and it wasn't right.

This..._ hell, yes_... this was right.

She closed her eyes, swallowed again, and then shuddered. "Please… I can't do this… I can't…"

"Yes, you can," he murmured tenderly. "I'm your best option."

"Derek..."

He shook his head. "No strangers. You're no stronger than you were before, you're not faster, and you can't tell them what to do. You don't know that person; they can hurt you or attack you, and I won't risk that."

She huffed and pleaded, "I don't want to hurt _you_."

"You won't," he said, a soft smile curving his lips. "That is what I am so sure of. We have something special, Baby Girl, a bond that can't be broken, regardless of what might happen to us." He cupped her face in his hands. "You believe me, right?"

She nodded warily.

"Garcia… You need to test this, to see if you can do this," he said softly. "Test this on me."

"Morgan…"

Derek watched her mouth move, his heart beating strongly in his chest. Her lips were so pale, petal pink, like the most delicate rose, and they looked so soft. Carefully, he brushed the pad of his thumb against her full bottom lip, back and forth, feeling the velvety softness.

"Do you trust me?" he whispered.

She nodded with a look of helpless desire.

Needing to reassure her far more than words, Derek leaned forward and kissed her softly, quickly, brushing his lips against hers. He felt her stiffen and shudder before he stepped away. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a pocket knife he carried. Her gasp echoed in his ears as he quickly made an incision in the tip of his finger.

They both watched as a drop of blood formed, darker than crushed rubies and nearly as shiny. She was shaking more now, little tremors and quakes she couldn't seem to control. She glanced at him, hunger, desperation, and despair radiating from her body.

He leaned against her, pressing her hard against the door, calming her tremors with the weight of his body. He reached his hand up to her cheek, stroking softly again. He held his finger up near her mouth, the droplet of blood quivering before starting to roll down his finger.

As if she were moved by a force she could not explain, Penelope lashed out with her tongue, catching the drip, and then licked her lips. The look of ecstasy on her face was unlike anything Derek had ever seen before.

He stroked her bottom lip again, this time with his fingertip, and whispered, "Open for me, angel."

Giving into his unbearable temptation, Penelope leaned forward and slowly drew his finger into her mouth.

* * *

The moment Penelope tasted Derek's blood, she knew she was lost. A rush overcame her, like a waterfall of incredible, pulsating feeling pouring over her. The never-ending hunger and burning in her throat and stomach was subsiding quickly, and she was left with a delicious glow that felt radiant and real.

At the same time, she was surrounded by Derek—the feel of his heavy body pressing against hers, the smell of his skin and his blood, the rough draws of his breath as she suckled his finger. He was right; there was a connection that was unbreakable, and now, it was heightened. There was a closeness, a oneness, unlike anything she'd experienced with anyone before; his blood flowed through her veins, touched her heart and made her whole.

Moved by the need for more closeness, more feeling, she brought her hands to the hard, masculine curve of his butt and pulled him tighter against her hips. Each pulse of blood that came from his finger was echoed in her body, and an unfamiliar but welcome throbbing centered in her groin, making her feel alive. She could feel the pulsing of his rigid erection against her center. She moaned at the contact his body made with hers and held him with a firm grip.

Penelope heard an echoing groan issued from Derek. She opened her eyes and saw that his were closed, a look of pure, hot lust on his face. What she was feeling...he was feeling it, too—and she was so, so glad for that.

Unable to stop herself, she caressed his finger with her tongue, lapping softly, while she continued suckling with insistent pressure. She slid her tongue over the sweet-tasting length of his finger, swirled it underneath to tickle a knuckle. His eyes flashed open and met hers, and she felt him shudder in response.

"Damn, Baby..." he whispered hoarsely.

Her lips curved to a secret, feminine smile. This was something she could get used to, this sharing from and with him. She'd never wanted a man as badly as she did Derek. Now she understood how blood lust and sexual lust were intertwined; she wanted to throw Derek to his back and have her wicked way with him.

She felt so alive and so much stronger, unlike how she felt with the bags of blood. Was there something to the actual pulsing source that gave her life? This was so good, the best she'd felt since she became a vampire.

And all this from only a bit of blood!

Suddenly, darker images swept through her mind. She wondered what it would be like to sink her fangs into his neck, into his carotid artery... The erotic feel would be incredible, indescribable. Together, they would be naked and writhing on the sheets. She would drink and drink, while he thrust his—

A loud knocking startled her, and panicking, she pushed Derek away...apparently rather forcefully, because he landed on his back, and she landed on top of him. She was lying on top of him when Reid opened the door.

"Hey, I—What's going on?" he asked, staring at them in confusion.

Penelope moved quickly to her feet and away from Derek. Now that the mood was broken, she was mortified with how far she'd gone.

"Wow!" Reid exclaimed, blinking rapidly. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You just stood up in only a few seconds. Usually, you move far more slowly."

"I did?" she asked, frowning. She didn't think she was that fast. She glanced at Derek, who was still on the floor...on his back. Oh no...was something wrong?

"Hot Stuff! Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He gave a wry chuckle, scrambling to his feet much slower than she had. "I think you just knocked the wind out of me."

She blushed; she could feel her cheeks heating. "Oh, dear. I'm so sorry!"

"Penelope, you're blushing!" Reid exclaimed.

She chewed her bottom lip. "You don't have to call attention to it!"

"Baby," Derek explained, "Reid is telling you that because you normally _can't_ blush." He grinned. "At least, not like you are now."

Penelope's hands flew to her cheeks. They felt...warm. "Wow…"

"In fact, your whole face has color. You're a healthy pink, and your eyes are brighter," Reid said with a smile, studying her.

"Don't forget her lips. Those beautiful red lips are back." Derek was studying her, too, but she had a feeling that his examination was for a far different purpose. Morgan's look echoed what she'd felt a moment ago—a ripe hunger that craved more than food.

But beyond that...he didn't look like himself. He had an ashy pallor, and he had dark circles under his eyes, like he was very tired.

"Oh, God," she whispered. "I took too much."

"No, you didn't," Derek said, shaking his head. He stumbled a bit, like he was dizzy, and gripped the back of the couch with one hand. "It wasn't very much, Penelope."

Reid was giving them both a very suspicious look. "What are you two…?" A second later, understanding hit. "Morgan, you let her drink from you?"

"I did." She watched as Derek reached both hands to the couch.

"We don't know enough yet to be testing something like that, guys!" Reid chastised angrily. He was watching Derek, too, with disapproval and worry. "Are you okay? How is your neck?"

"I didn't drink from his neck," Penelope whispered lamely, feeling guilty and concerned for Derek. He really did not look good. "Derek...maybe you should lay down?"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Reid argued rightfully. "Where's the puncture?"

"Not a puncture...just a...little cut," Derek mumbled. He swayed a little on his feet before crumpling heavily to the floor.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. I'm a little bit late tonight-Went to see Nickelback with my BFF...Oh, they're so dang good!...Here comes the next chapter! ...

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Looking at the ashy pale, very still body of Derek on the ground, Penelope panicked. Her heart, which was still faintly beating, jumped into her throat, and her stomach clenched.

Had she killed him?

She ran over to his side, far quicker than she had in days, and bent down. She thought she saw him take a breath, but she couldn't be sure…

Reid was there, too, and he put his fingers on Derek's throat, checking for a pulse. He was frowning with concentration. "I think he's okay... I mean, I'm not a _medical _doctor, so..."

"Are you… Are you sure?" she stammered, so afraid of the answer. God, Derek meant the world to her, and if she'd hurt him...

Reid looked up from the prone body of Morgan and what he saw made him turn his attention to her. He put his hand reassuringly on Penelope's shaking arm. "He's fine, Penelope."

She looked up at him, and she felt tears cascading down her face. "I never should've drunk from him. How could I have been so weak? I…almost killed him!"

"Baby Girl, hush," Derek said from the floor. His eyes were still closed, and his face was puckered in a frown. "Damn, my head hurts. Did I hit anything on the way down?" He opened one eye and glanced at Spencer.

"Not a thing," Reid answered solemnly, but he couldn't quite hold back his smirk.

Derek gave Reid a suspicious look, his brow arched so far that it was nearly on the top of his head. "What in the hell are you laughing at?"

Reid couldn't fight the bubble of laughter that came out. "You _fainted_, Morgan. Flat down, like a woman in a melodrama."

"Tell anyone, and I will kick your ass," Morgan snapped.

"How are you?" Penelope interjected, although she was much less apprehensive. If he was arguing with Reid, he was feeling better! "You look terrible."

Derek grinned up at her as he moved to a seated position. "We're opposites, then, sugar, 'cause you look gorgeous."

She blinked. In her panic, she'd completely forgotten that they'd said she looked better.

"I have to agree with Morgan," Reid said with a nod. "You look decidedly lifelike right now."

Penelope hadn't a clue how she looked, but she certainly felt better than she had in days. "It's bizarre. I feel warm, and I think I have a pulse."

Reid reached for her wrist and shook his head. "Nothing there. Let me try your neck." Reaching up, he placed his fingers against her carotid, and his eyes widened. "There is something faint there."

Penelope smiled for a second before she frowned. "This has never happened, even after drinking two pints of the blood from the bags. How much blood did I take from Derek to get this way?"

"Baby, I am pretty sure it wasn't much," Derek said, rising to his feet again. "This cut is small, and you only drank for a few minutes."

"A few delicious, wonderful minutes," she murmured, remembering the feelings, the longing...

Derek chuckled. "It was nice; I gotta admit."

That caused her to look at him in surprise. "Really? How was it nice for you?"

"I don't know," he said, running a hand over his head. He blushed a little, which usually meant he was hot, he was feeling flirty or frisky, or he was lying.

"Yes, you do, handsome," she asked, attempting to draw the words out. "Tell me."

Morgan's blush grew rapidly, which made Penelope grin for two reasons: he was adorable when he blushed, and it showed he had blood left in his body!

"All right, damn it." He glanced over at Reid and said, "He'll get this better than you will…"

Reid blinked. "What?"

Derek snickered and shot an evil grin at Reid. "Maybe not."

Reid's brows drew together. "I think perhaps I've just been insulted..."

"Hot Stuff, just tell me," Penelope pleaded, really wanting to know.

"There's not other way to say this..." Derek hesitated and then cleared his throat. "Right before a man shoots his load, we get this tingling feeling."

Her eyes widened. Why on earth had she begged to know?

"It's… It's intense," he said, sighing heavily. "There's nothing else quite like it."

Penelope could feel herself blushing. She glanced over at Reid, who was blushing, too.

"He's right… It is quite intense."

Penelope put both hands over her face. "Oh, Lord!" she squealed, and then giggled profusely.

"Hey, momma, you asked…"

"Stop!" she said, looking through her fingers. Derek was grinning, as was Reid. "Scientific. We need this to be scientific."

"Okay," Derek said, giving her a slight hug and a kiss on the top of her head. "What was it like for you?"

"Mine was more food related," she explained. "I felt so much better, like I wasn't hungry. And peace...I felt peaceful and alive."

He grinned at her. "I got the better end of the deal…"

She blushed, mortified again. "Derek!"

"Morgan," Reid said, coming over with a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope hanging from his hands. "We really should see how much blood was taken from you."

"I feel fine," he commented blandly as Reid put on the cuff and began to inflate it. "I felt like I do after giving blood—a little woozy. Some OJ and a cookie, and I would've been fine."

"One ten over sixty," Reid said, removing the stethoscope he had in his ears. "Sounds fine."

"I feel fine. Trust me… She didn't get much from this," he said, holding up his finger. The little cut barely wasn't even bleeding and had already formed a tiny scab.

"There are no major arteries or veins in that area, so it must've been miniscule, to say the least," Reid added, studying Morgan's finger. He glanced at Penelope. "Let's test it. Garcia, take a big draw from—"

"_No!_" she cried, stepping far away from both of them, looking at them like they'd gone insane. "I refuse to drink from him—from _anyone_—until I can be sure this is safe and I can stop."

"Baby, you look so much better after drinking from me, and you have a pulse," Morgan argued.

"I know," she said, frowning in confusion.

"I don't know what it is," Derek said, "but I think you need a live body to survive."

"That makes no sense," she said, shaking her head. "I drank more from the blood bank, and—"

"Life essence," Reid interrupted with a whisper of wonderment. He looked startled, like he'd shocked himself.

Penelope and Derek stared over at Reid.

"What did you say, kid?"

"It's impossible, and it makes no sense, but I am sure that's what it is," Reid said, stroking his chin in thought.

"What is?" Penelope cried in frustration.

"Life essence," he said again, looking at both of them and then focusing on Derek. "Morgan, when Penelope fed from you, she was drinking more than your blood… She was drinking your life essence."

Penelope shivered. That did not sound good to her at all.

"What are you talking about?" Morgan snapped.

"It's why I came back here today before I interrupted you two," he said excitedly. "It's what Mildred and I were working on. We'd finished the first part of the Latin tome. It talked all about the need for life essence. I thought they were just talking about blood, since that is part of the essence of life, but—"

"Get on with it, Reid," Derek said impatiently.

"These ancient texts and more recent gothic stories have hinted at this—vampires not only drink blood from their victims, they literally suck the life out of them." He glanced at Penelope. "You are radiating Morgan's life essence right now. You need blood to survive, but you need life essence to flourish and thrive."

"Oh, God…"

"So… I feel fine now," Morgan questioned. "Can I be her donor? Keep giving her a little bit as she needs it?"

"_No!_" she cried again. "I can't let you do that."

"Baby Girl..."

"Morgan… I have to agree with Penelope with this one. We don't know if you can replenish this, or if it is lost, or what happens to you," Reid said sadly. "Until we know more, you shouldn't let her feed from you again."

Derek sighed, standing near Penelope. "Okay. You two win."

At that moment, Penelope's heart became still again. It was painful, how it ebbed to nothingness. She gripped her chest as the pain subsided and glanced up at him, feeling so miserably forlorn and hopeless.

"Oh, Derek…" she whispered, tears coming to her eyes.

Gently, he held her face in his hands, which was rapidly cooling in temperature. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips…the second kiss he'd ever given her. "We'll get through this, baby… I know we will."

She nodded and let him hold her, fighting her urges. He murmured more to her, but she could hear nothing but the loud, sure beating of his heart.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews...This is so fun to write!... Learning more right along with P and D, and a few others...

* * *

**Chapter 10**

The next few days, Derek and Penelope were inseparable. He'd taken time off of work to be with her—took his own "emergency vacation"—and had even spent the night at her place...once. The second night he'd tried to stay, she'd kicked him out; the cravings for his blood had gotten too intense...

_"I need my sleep, and I can't sleep when I want you all the time," she said with a whine._

_He teased, "That's what I like to hear."_

_"Oh, I want you__...for__ dinner," she snipped. "That's not exactly good, Hot Stuff."_

_He smirked. "Only dinner? I'm wounded."_

_"You will be if you don't go..."_

_"Penelope..." he cajoled._

_"Don't make me lock myself in the bathroom!"_

_As a precautionary measure, whenever her cravings hit, she locked herself in the bathroom and drank a pint. She didn't want to take unnecessary chances!_

_"Okay, okay, I'm going," he said, chuckling slightly._

_Rolling her eyes, she shoved him out her door._

That was a more lighthearted moment, but most of them were not as jovial. Unfortunately, all three of them—Reid included—were feeling very frustrated. Although they'd learned some new things and Penelope seemed to be adjusting, nothing was going quite to plan. This was uncharted ground; everything was new and difficult.

For instance, the sun was becoming more and more intense. Her time limit was mere seconds, and she needed to be covered from head to toe, including mittens on her hands and a scarf around her face. Her fangs were elongating, and she was starting to notice the smell of other people's blood, not just Morgan's. She could control herself with them far easier, but it still wasn't easy. The feel of water wasn't pleasant anymore, either. It felt slimy and itchy on her skin, and it stung if large amounts were splashed on her, as if it were made of astringent.

It was depressing; things were changing and she was rolling with it, but they weren't _good_ changes. She felt weaker, hungrier, sadder. Each change made her less and less human.

"I'm sorry, Baby Girl," Derek said, holding her gaze with his own. Lovingly, he reached for her face, cupping his hand against her icy cheek. _I__ would give everything I own to to take this from you, _he added in thought, his entire soul backing those words.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she swallowed convulsively to prevent the stinging wetness from overflowing. "I know," she whispered, closing her eyes and leaning her face into his palm, trying desperately to absorb his warmth.

That was something else odd they'd discovered, something that was between the two of them only. Garcia could read minds, but she could only read Morgan's mind, his thoughts and feelings, and only when she was looking directly into his eyes. She'd tried with Reid, repeatedly, with no success. There was no explaining why the two of them had such a connection. Perhaps because she was Morgan's best friend, she had a better read on him.

"I'm sorry, too, Garcia," Reid said sadly. "We are translating as fast as we can, but so much of it is repeated legend. Deciphering between myth and fact is taking far more time than we had anticipated."

"That's okay, boy genius," Penelope said with a wry grin. "All I have is time."

As Derek looked at her, he started to believe that wasn't true. Penelope was turning even more pale, the gray in her skin turning almost chalk white, despite the amount of blood she was drinking. She was drinking a lot more blood, feeding every two hours exactly, and yet she was still exhausted, still pale, almost as if she hadn't eaten at all. Day by day, she seemed to fade even more, such a contrast from her colorful vibrancy, like a shell of her former self. Even her eyes had lost their dark blue and were barely the color of the sky on a bright day.

* * *

The next day, per Reid's suggestion, they took "current" vampire lore—anything Gothic era and above—and studied it, while he and Mildred continued to search the more ancient tomes for any sort of clue that could help Garcia adjust even more to this new "life."

Derek had a current book, and he was rather absorbed in a particular scene. So absorbed, he didn't hear Penelope until she shouted, "Sweet Cheeks!"

"What?" he answered, blinking slightly.

She grinned at him. "What are you reading that's so good over there?"

Oh, man...he didn't want to tell her. This book had a huge tie in with sex and blood lust, and it was hotter than hell. Wanting to drink blood and wanting to screw were the only two things that this vampire thought of. The need to mate was overwhelming. The vampire had compared penetrating with his teeth with penetrating with his dick, and all that talk about warm wetness filling his mouth...

Damn, he was getting overheated!

He glanced at Penelope; she was waiting patiently for his answer.

"This...ah..." He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Baby, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

How did he ask her this without sounding crass? In his mind, he tried to think of an acceptable way to say it, but his own discomfiture and aroused state made him just blurt it out.

"Baby, do you want to fuck?"

Her pale eyes widened. "What? Now?" A second later, she squeaked out, "With you?"

Derek groaned and kept his eyes shut. He'd messed that up. He knew damn well if she could blush, she'd be blushing, but she hadn't blushed for days now. Not since she'd drunk from him.

"No, I meant in general," he said, trying to explain. "Do you feel...aroused all the time, like you want to screw just about anything?"

He didn't look into her eyes. He didn't want her to know the anticipation he was feeling, that if she'd wanted to make love to him, he'd be thrilled. That scared him more than her answer.

"Um...no," she answered after a long pause.

He sighed and then looked up at her, but she wasn't done.

"I mean, that's not exactly true," she blurted, looking down at her folded hands. "I mean... I want to have sex, and that drive has always been strong in me, but now...it does seem stronger."

"When is it stronger?" he asked, and before he could look away, she met his eyes.

Her mouth was open, parted, and her gaze fixed on his. "When... When I'm..." She licked her lips and looked away from him back at her hands. "When I'm hungry."

His heart stopped in his chest, and his groin stirred. _Oh, God, he wanted her!_

"Penelope..."

"Derek, change the subject!" she cried.

"Baby Girl, look at me," he said, reaching for her chin. He turned her gaze to lock with his, and he let all the want and desire he felt inside of him, desire he saw echoed plainly in her pale eyes, come to the surface.

He needed to know...right now...

_Are you hungry for blood? Or hungry for me?_

A pounding on the door caused them to jump. Penelope gasped and then hurried into her bathroom and shut the door.

"Garcia? It's JJ. Are you in there?"

_Oh, shit_, Derek thought.

"Garcie...we heard voices in there," JJ said, a pleading tone to her voice. "We're worried about you."

"PG, I saw Esther in your spot and Morgan's bike outside," Prentiss snapped. "Open this door."

"_Please_ don't make me kick the door down," Rossi quipped in a tone of voice that showed his exasperation. "I'm too old for that shit."

Derek sighed. There was no way to get them all to go away. They were like dogs with a bone, and they wouldn't stop. He knew his team; they meddled in each other's business, but it was always for a good cause.

"I'm getting the landlord's key," Hotch said reasonably, which made Derek move into action.

He wished he could stall them, but that was impossible. He opened the door, said, "Give me ten minutes," and then shut it in their very confused and concerned faces.

And then he was off to the bathroom to talk to his girl.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. I am so glad you guys are giving this story a chance!...You all are awesome!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

When Derek walked into the bathroom, Garcia was nowhere in sight.

"Penelope?" he called out to the seemingly empty room, but there was no answer.

He groaned internally. As far as he knew, she couldn't just disappear and reappear anywhere, but he didn't exclude any possibility. Stranger things had happened in the past few days, that was for sure! Still, he was more inclined to believe she was merely hiding. That meant only one thing: She had to be in her shower.

He peeled back her shower curtain and found her standing in the corner, her eyes wide in her starkly pale face.

"Send them away," she begged. "Please!"

"Honey—"

"I c-can't do it," she stammered. She was shaking like a leaf on a tree during a high wind. "I can't let them see me like this."

Derek began reaching into the shower to help her out. "Garcia—"

"Don't do this to me!" she cried. "Don't make me go out there."

He wanted so badly to hold her, to tell her it was going to be all right. They'd always been very physical with one another. However, he knew that with her blood lust, it could be more torture than comfort. Instead, he would have to use his words and talk her down from the ledge.

"Sweetheart," he said patiently, "those people out there love you just about as much as I do. They want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm not okay!" she snapped, her huge eyes filling with tears as she pushed at his reaching arms. He could tell she was trying to get strength behind it; she grunted with the effort.

"Honey—"

She met his gaze and swallowed so hard, he could see the muscles in her throat working. "I'm a monster, Derek…"

Sighing, Derek stepped into her bathtub and leaned against the wall next to her. "Baby, you're not a monster. You're Penelope Garcia, and a very, very bad thing happened to you. This isn't your fault; they're not going to judge you. Maybe they can even help you and help catch the real monster who did this to you."

"Yeah, sure," she said, wincing as she wiped away the tears sliding down her face furiously. "How?"

"I'm pretty smart, I know you're brilliant, and Reid..." He paused and cocked a brow at her. "Well, let's say he's passably intelligent."

That made her smile a little. "You got a point, there."

He returned her smile before he continued seriously, "But angel, you and I both know this thing is kicking our asses. We are no further finding information today than we were nearly a week ago."

"I know," she said morosely.

"So, we have a choice: you either let us beat our heads against a wall, or you agree to let the finest minds I have ever worked with—"

"_We_," she interrupted, and then she clarified, "The brightest minds _we_ have ever worked with."

He met her gaze, pleading for her life and his own. "Then, Baby Girl, let them help us out. I know what I would choose—the team or a brick wall." He stepped out of her tub and reached a hand out to her. "How 'bout you?"

She placed her hand into his, and he helped her step out, but her foot caught on the edge of her tub. She tumbled into his arms, and he had to catch her before she nearly hit the floor.

"Whoa!" he said, trying to right her.

For a split second, she looked up at him with an expression he'd never seen before. He watched as her eyes turned a strange dark color, burgundy in hue, and her fangs became more pronounced. A low, harsh growl came from inside of her, and her nostrils flared. Inside, his body quaked with fear, but he kept his outward calm.

"Penel—"

"Step back!" she hissed, but he didn't let her go. Deep down, he knew he should let her go—she was dangerous and couldn't control her lust—but...he couldn't…no…he couldn't…

He watched as she stiffened, her entire body becoming plank straight in his arms. He could tell she was fighting this feeling and how her body was changing. It was a gruelingly physical fight; she shook and she sweated, and she moaned and keened.

_Help her__... Let__ her drink..._

A voice inside called to him, urging him. He shook his head, but he still held onto her tightly.

_She's yours__... Help__ her..._

At the same time, he felt a surge in his body, a nearly irresistible desire to let her have him, let her drink from him until she was sated. He could feel every pulse thrumming in his veins, every swish of life-giving fluid coursing in his body. He wanted...he wanted to feed her...to empty his blood and his semen and give her strength.

_She's yours__...she's__ yours__...she's__ yours…_ his subconscious chanted. _Become_ _one with her__...unite__ your souls__...forever__..._

He saw her eyes shift back to their usual paleness, and then she collapsed against him, her small frame wracked with gasping breaths.

_She's yours..._

"Penelope," he whispered, cupping his hands under her ass. He lifted her, drawing her closer, higher against his body.

She met his gaze with eyes filled with exhaustion, both body and spirit, from having won that battle.

He rested her against the sink, placed a hand on the back of her head, and tilted his to the side. "Drink from me..."

"No..." she whispered weakly, but her fangs protruded even more and her eyes began to glow with unearthly light again.

"Yes, baby..." he murmured, and then pressed her face to his neck.

"Stop!" Reid threw the bathroom door open. "Garcia, no!"

Penelope lifted her head and hissed at him, and then her eyes widened and her eyes returned to the prebloodlust state. "Oh, God... I _am_ a monster!"

Derek shook his head, like a fog had suddenly lifted. He stared at her, feeling drugged and confused. "Penelope, I..."

"Go away!" she cried, and this time, Derek left without argument.

The moment he left the room, Penelope had never felt so alone. She needed him...and she couldn't have him. Her whole chest was empty; she didn't even have a heart that would ache.

This was some sort of horrible cosmic joke a demon was playing on her. The one person she loved more than anyone, the one person who was her comfort and peace and solace as much as she was his, was off limits—especially when she needed him most.

She began to cry, heavy, sobbing tears, and Reid wrapped her in his arms to console her. He held her for a long time, and she sobbed endlessly. She felt like she could cry for hours and hours.

"Ah...Garcia?" he asked, but gently. "You have a lot of friends who love you out there..."

"Oh, God…I'm sorry!" she sniffled, wiping her face again.

"Garcia...it's not your fault," he said.

"Reid, what if..." She swallowed hard and fought tears. "I almost killed him again!"

"You didn't," he explained, "but I think we need to be more careful."

She gave a bitter laugh. "You can say that again!"

He gave a sad smile. "It's worse than that..."

She frowned. "What?"

"Let's go in the other room, and I'll explain to everyone." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a sad smile.

"Reid, I—"

As he started to lead her out, she glanced to the left and looked in the mirror...and there was only Reid standing there. She reached a hand out, but it didn't show up.

She didn't have a reflection.

Penelope remembered one of the first things Reid had read. _Vampires do not have reflections because they do not possess a soul. They're soulless, undead demons, lacking humanity__..._

_Having a soul made you human._

She'd looked in a mirror nearly daily, and she still had a reflection, so she had a soul. She still had...She...

Except she just didn't.

That was the last thing she remembered before everything went black.


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: I have an important announcement... The past few days, FF has been purging M rated stories that are unacceptable to their terms...that includes strong sexual content... In order to remain on the site, I removed anything questionable in my stories. **

**However... I am now on a site called The Writers Coffee Shop Library. Please see my profile for a link, because I can't post it here without the site messing it up (Believe me, I tried!). There you can find my stuff in it's "full glory" as I intended when I wrote it. The stories will still be here on FF as well, just...de-lemoned.**

**I didn't want to have to remove it, but I didn't see a choice. Infractions can make you lose your account and stories posted. To disappear from here and not be able to ineract with the loyal and wonderful reader base that I have built up would be far too much for me to bear. You guys make me smile with every review you graciously give me! **

**See you at both sites, I hope!**

**Peace and love, Krick...and now back to the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Penelope's head hurt, and the gnawing hunger she'd gotten used to ignoring was a touch worse than usual. Her mind felt foggy and discombobulated. What had happened?

Her memory came back in a snap: she'd passed out on the bathroom floor in front of poor, misplaced Reid. She owed that boy a pizza when this was all said and done! Now she felt like she was laying somewhere soft—her couch or a cloud or something. Hoping it was the former not the later, she let her eyes slowly flutter open.

"Ah!" she cried out in surprise.

Her entire team was standing around her, except for Reid. He was kneeling on the floor next to her, holding her hand like a lovesick swain in a regency period painting. They looked like they were keeping vigil over her—as if they weren't quite sure she'd wake up this time—and that was disconcerting in and of itself.

JJ stood by Reid, a worried look on her pretty face. Her cheeks were wet; it was obvious she'd been crying. Rossi, Prentiss, and Hotch were on the back side of the couch to her right. Rossi nodded and winked at her, but worry was etched on his forehead. Hotch had just the slightest smile like usual—that man knew how to hold in emotions!—and Prentiss? Poor Prentiss was trying to smile valiantly at her like normal, but it came across terribly forced and constipated-looking.

Her dearest bittersweet chocolate was closest to her feet. He looked absolutely miserable, those beautiful, expressive eyebrows nearly knit into a knot, and what was left of her soul—some particle that had refused to reflect for her sanity's sake—yearned to hold him as he'd held her so many times and tell him it was going to be okay.

Bitterly, she closed her eyes again and swallowed. She couldn't do that. She couldn't even be near him. Her lust for his blood was getting so much worse, and she was having a hard time fighting it. She could feel it rising inside her, so badly; just looking at him made her stomach growl and her mouth salivate.

She could even see the pulsing of his blood in his neck, a delicious, rhythmic throb…

Shivering at her macabre yet erotic thoughts, she focused on Reid. "You told them...what I am?"

He nodded. "They actually believed me, too." His tone was light, but he was squeezing her hand in a comforting measure.

She tried sitting up, but she didn't have the strength to do it. Maybe she needed to eat? "I'm so weak," she admitted, looking at Reid. "How long was I out?"

Reid looped an arm behind her and helped her into a sitting position. "Only an hour."

Penelope had drunk an entire two pints of blood less than two hours ago, and the idea of more blood from bags made her shiver and gag internally. She wrapped her arms around herself; she felt miserably cold again, like the first day this had happened to her—as if she'd taken a bunch of step backward instead of forward in this new "life" of hers.

Just then, JJ moved slightly, and the scent, a delicious scent—nowhere near Derek's, but good anyway—carried in the breeze she made. It surprised Penelope; no one had appealed to her before.

Oh, God. Something was wrong...really, horribly, terribly wrong.

She dropped Reid's hand as quickly as she could. "Reid…something's wrong."

He gave her a grim smile and nodded.

"Wh-Wh-What's h-happening...to me?" she whispered, the panic rising and nearly overtaking her.

"Garcia...I think you're morphing," Reid said sadly as everyone moved to front of the couch so she could see them.

She frowned, shivering violently. Damn it, she was cold! "I-I-I'm wh-wh-what?"

"Reid started explaining to us, kitten." Rossi sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. His warm body felt positively heavenly next to her, providing some vital heat, but along with the heat came his fragrance. It didn't appeal much to her, but she didn't want to hurt him...just in case.

Reid looked apprehensive, too. "Rossi, I don't think that's a good—"

"Tough, " he interrupted, shooting Reid a glare. He wrapped his arms even more tightly around her.

Penelope felt her chin quiver, and tears rose to her eyes as she looked up into Dave's espresso black eyes. "I-I don't w-w-want—"

"Garcia," Rossi said, smiling softly at her. "You're so weak, you can barely move. I may not be the one taking down the Unsubs with my manly muscles, but I think I'm safe."

She tried to smile back and let herself melt into the warmth of his arms. The fragrance of his blood, along with the rich, spicy scent of his cologne rushed her. She missed being held so badly.

She'd been panting out of her mouth to avoid inhaling his scent—just in case—but she tripped up and took a whiff. Suddenly, her stomach rolled, and then settled, and then rolled again. Along with a rather nice appealing scent was an absolutely repulsive stench intermingling in the back of her nostrils.

With a giggle, she suddenly figured it out. "Super Agent, have you been cooking with garlic?"

"What else do Italians do?"

Penelope smiled happily and snuggled next to Dave. He was safe from her. Never had she been so happy to feel seasick!

Reid grinned. "Anyone else here besides Rossi have Italian for lunch?"

Beaming, JJ added, "I had stir-fried garlic chicken at Cheng's."

Penelope smiled at her, too.

Immediately, JJ sat on her other side, wrapping her arms around her. "Reid told us what happened, how you were...attacked. I'm so sorry."

JJ added to the comforting warmth she craved. She sighed and whispered, "Thank you."

She was grateful...not just for the sympathy, but for the fact that JJ didn't seem frightened by her, either. She was treating her just like she always had...like her best girlfriend. She would be thankful for that for always.

"We got this under control. I think if we all eat enough garlic, PG can return to work soon," Prentiss teased with a little smirk.

"Sounds good to me!" Dave interjected, patting Penelope on the back.

"Actually, there are many health benefits to consuming garlic. For instance, there seems to be an anticoagulant..." Reid paused when everyone started staring at him. He blushed. "I got a little carried away, didn't I?"

"There's a big hole when you're not there," Hotch said, bringing his attention back to Penelope.

"We've been so worried," JJ said, and her expression said that exactly. She'd been worried. The whole team looked worried and upset. Her family.

"Thank you," she said again, knowing she would never be able to show them how blessed she felt to have them in her life.

"Reid," Hotch said gravely, glancing over at him. "I think you need to tell Garcia what you found out."

Reid nodded and then took a deep breath. "Mildred found a book I hadn't known existed... I didn't even think to go in that section, but she found it. It's a story...a novel."

She gave him a skeptical look. "Reid, we don't have time for pleasure reading."

He shook his head. "It's far from that. A friend told Mildred about it. We started pouring through it, translating nonstop...as much as she can handle." He paused and swallowed. "Garcia, everything in that book has been true. You've been following all the signs to an exact fit."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Everything," Reid reiterated. "From what happens to you in sunlight, to your food repulsion, and to how you are more attracted to Morgan's blood than mine...or anyone else's."

She glanced over at Derek, and sure enough, the gnawing hunger hit again. She ripped her eyes away from him and swallowed the pooling saliva in her mouth.

"Why is it that I only want to devour Derek?" she asked.

"Still?" Reid asked.

"Everyone else smells good, but Derek..." She glanced at him and then looked away immediately. "He's so delicious, I want to pounce on him."

"Ah...that's definitely part of it." Reid blushed for a moment. "You were correct when you mentioned lust. You desire him...but it's more than that."

"What?" Penelope asked.

"You two are a mated pair. You've...bonded." Reid looked over Morgan. "You desire him, he desires you, and it fuels your lust. It's a combustible situation meant to perpetuate the vampire colony, I'm sure."

Penelope met Derek's gaze, and he smiled gently at her. His eyes told her what he was thinking. _Honey__, we always knew we had chemistry..._

For a second, she smiled, too, but then the hunger hit her again like a fist in the gut and she had to tear her eyes away.

"This is good, this book, right?" she asked, changing the subject back to her future. "Good to have something to follow?"

"Not...exactly." Reid swallowed convulsively, licked his lips, and then looked up at everyone. "I..."

"Tell her," Rossi said, holding her closer.

Reid met her gaze sadly. "Your recent signs are pointing to a certain climax in the book we reached—it's why I came rushing here—and your reflection solidified it."

"But I don't have a reflection anymore," she said.

He nodded. "Garcia...you _are_ morphing. You're turning into a true vampire."

"I thought I _was_ a true vampire," she said, frowning in confusion.

He shook his head. "You were newborn, a changeling. According to the legend in this book, it's only a matter of time before...you change completely. Losing your reflection is one of the final signs."

"What happens next?" JJ asked, squeezing her tighter.

Reid hung his head in misery. "She will lose her memory, her soul, and become like the one that bit her."

"Oh, God!" she gasped, feeling faint again.

"Hell, no!" Morgan, who had been silent until then, roared, looking like a caged tiger, irritated and impotent. He glared furiously at Reid, anger, hurt, and despair pouring palpably out of every pore of his body. "Something has to stop this."

"I'm trying!" Reid desperately cried. "I don't know what happens to the protagonist in the story yet. She's at this part, the lack of reflection, and she's dreading the next step. We're translating and reading as fast as we can. Mildred even brought in friends to assist, but there are very few who can read that ancient text."

"Try harder!" Morgan growled, stepping closer to Reid. "Give me the fucking book, I'll find—"

"Morgan," Hotch snapped, grabbing him by the arms.

"I can't just let this thing kill her!"

"None of us want that to happen, but we all need to settle down and think rationally," Rossi said quickly, defusing the situation. "Reid…how much time do we have?"

Penelope's stomach was churning. She was going to become a monster...a true, soulless beast.

"A day," Reid said sadly. "Maybe two."

To prey on innocent people...attacking them at night...changing them into this _thing_ that she was...

Prentiss pulled a face. "I don't know if we can do it in that time. This is uncharted territory, and—"

"Wait!" Penelope cried. When she had everyone's attention, she said, "I need you to promise me something. All of you."

For a moment, everything was silent, and then JJ shook her head as understanding dawned on her. "Oh, no... No, Garcia. Don't say it."

"I have to!" Penelope said, acidic tears rolling down her face. "I can't walk the earth like that. I can't."

"Garcia," Prentiss whispered sadly. "Oh, God. We can't..."

"Quiet!" Rossi ordered. "We are not even going to begin thinking like that. We will fight this, Penelope. Until we have no time left at all, we will fight this."

Hotch gave a nod and then began giving commands. "Prentiss, you and Reid head to the library to assist Mildred with the text. Morgan—"

"No," Derek said. "I'm staying with Penelope."

"No!" Penelope cried, unable to look at him. "It's getting harder and harder to be around him. Morgan has to go."

"That's probably wise," Reid said. "As part of that bonding, Penelope has some...magnetism. She's drawing him in."

"What?" Morgan snapped. "She isn't—"

"Derek, in the bathroom," she said, interrupting him, "you acted like you were drugged."

She watched as it registered on his face, but he shook it off. "Baby Girl, I need to be here."

"No," she said staunchly, turning her face to bury it in Rossi's shoulder. "I can't kill you, Derek."

"Angel..."

She could hear the agony in his voice, but she had to be staunch.

"I'm just...so tired. Please... Don't make me fight this anymore."

JJ stepped up. "Morgan, I'll stay with Penelope."

"What... What happens next in this process?" Prentiss asked.

"If the book is right, Penelope will keep getting weaker and weaker. Her eyes will lose their color, and her fangs will elongate more," Reid said sadly. "She will look nearly dead to us...until she snaps, loses her humanity, and feeds off a human being."

Everyone looked at Penelope, but she hadn't heard. She'd passed out from exhaustion again.

"We need to find the thing that did this to her," Rossi growled, scowling.

"First things first. That's saving Penelope." Hotch stepped forward, picked her up, and took her to her room. When he came back out, he said, "We don't have much time, and we have a lot to do. Team, let's go."


	13. Chapter 13

_AN: Thanks so much for the reviews, and for your support... A brief repetition: FF has been purging stories that do not meet it's terms and conditions. That includes M rated stories with "explicit" descriptions of the sexual act (I believe I fall under that, sadly! I still don't think what I write is dirty, and I hate that I have to do this as much as I hate having to send you other places.)_

I am not removing my stories, but I have deleted anything that could be considered questionable to avoid being expelled from the site and losing my beloved readers whom I care so much about. I will still be posting here, BUT if you want my stories in their **FULL, DETAILED GLORY**the way I intended them to be(and stories by others such as loveforpenandderek, Dragon Claymore, Peanut84, Ilovetvalot, Hx Chick, RogueStorm84, and so many more), please check my profile. Bear with me, I am slowly but surely getting the beautiful lovemaking posted over there and will post updates on the site... Peace to you and again, thanks for your constant, unwavering support.

All my love, Kricket

* * *

**Chapter 13**

JJ sat next to Penelope and held her hand, waiting for her to wake up. The team had left over three hours ago, and Garcia had barely stirred. There was an eerie quality, being in that room, that bothered JJ far more than she liked to admit. Garcia was usually so colorful and vibrant; she matched her décor perfectly. She was bright, loud, and bouncy, and now...

It was wrong.

There were other things JJ noticed that the boys on the team probably wouldn't. Women had a better sense of smell than men—they noticed when things were off—and this apartment was definitely off. There was a permeating smell that was undeniable, something she'd been exposed to far too often in her chosen career—the smell of death. She'd had to open a window and put on the bathroom fan to avoid feeling nauseated.

"God, Penelope," she whispered, squeezing her friend's icy cold hand. "Please wake up. Better yet, wake the both of us up from this nightmare."

Still, Garcia didn't stir.

"I hope they are having better luck than I am. I hope Spence, in the way only he can, reads something in that book that can heal you in a flash," she said hopefully to Penelope, as if she were awake. "I want to shop with you and talk about the boys with you like we are giggly teenagers again. Henry misses his godmother...and I miss my friend."

JJ felt tears surge behind her eyelids, and she blinked them away. The gray pallor Garcia had when she'd first seen her was now even more pale, with a ghostly, translucent quality similar to rice paper. Yet paper had substance and seemed healthier than how Penelope looked. A while back, JJ noticed that Penelope's chest no longer rose and fell with her breaths. She was almost completely still, like a corpse. JJ had feared the worst, but an occasional twitch told her Garcia was still alive.

She'd called and updated the team an hour ago on Garcia's deteriorating state, which had increased their effort more—if that was even possible. Having heard that speaking was good for people in comas, JJ valiantly tried to babble like normal, despite the ache in her heart.

"Maybe Morgan will find another vampire and he can beat the cure out of him? You know how Morgan gets when one of his team—one of the people he loves—is in trouble. Well, times that by a thousand for you, girl." She smiled faintly at Penelope and squeezed her hand even harder. "He really loves you, Garcie. More than any of us had ever realized..."

She knew if the roles were reversed, if she ever—God forbid—ended up in some sort of coma, Garcia would read to her or talk to her everyday. She'd never give up hope. She was strong like that.

The tears were coming unbidden now, rolling in rapid succession down JJ's cheeks. "Please, Garcie. Please wake up. Henry and I both need you; we all need you." She wiped her cheeks with her hands and then reached for Penelope's hand again. "Don't give up hope, don't ever give up hope—"

And then Garcia's eyes opened...and JJ cried out at her colorless, inhuman stare.

* * *

The library at the Smithsonian where Mildred worked was massive, but her apartment was cozy and small, and that was where she had Reid meet her. Unfortunately, it was two hours from Penelope's apartment. Still, they had to do what they needed to do in order to help their friend.

The elderly woman was adorable. She'd hugged Reid, commented that he needed to put on some weight, and then hugged Prentiss, too.

"Oh, my stars!" Mildred exclaimed, a bright blush on her wrinkled cheeks. "It is so nice to meet one of Spencer's girls."

Emily gave Reid an odd look and watched as he flushed uncomfortably and fidgeted with his tie.

"Ah, Mildred..." he began, obviously trying to explain, but the older woman had old eardrums and didn't hear what he said.

"Such a beautiful girl, too! Does my old heart good to know that a nice girl is finally taking care of dear Spencer. He's such a good boy," the older woman said, patting Em's cheek with a gnarled hand. "Thank you."

At that moment, Emily flushed. She didn't have the heart to break it to this woman that she and Reid were not an item. So, she simply smiled and said a half-truth. "Don't worry... I'll keep him on his toes."

Reid flashed her a grateful smile, and the three of them headed to a table where the manuscript was out.

"Mildred, did you do any more reading on this?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh, no," she said, shaking her head. "I took a nap."

Both Reid and Prentiss looked deflated, but then Mildred continued.

"I didn't," she said, "but Sergio Altobelli in the Italian department took a look. Apparently, he speaks Latin, too. Fluently. He just got back from vacation. He translated three more chapters and wrote notes for you in the time it took me to do one."

"Where are they?" Prentiss asked quickly, trying not to get to excited.

"They're over there on that table." Mildred gestured to a spot in the corner before she took a seat on her couch.

With haste, Reid rushed over to the corner and grabbed the papers, scanning them quickly.

"Tea, dear?" Mildred asked, holding the pot.

Prentiss wasn't paying attention to the nice, elderly woman. She was watching Reid's face as he read the papers.

"I'm sorry," Em said, turning to face Mildred. "I—"

"I'm afraid we can't stay for tea, Mildred," Reid interrupted, grabbing Prentiss's arm and dragging her out the door.

"Bye, Mildr—" she began, but she was being forced to go quicker. "Reid, we—"

Reid was already at the car and in the passenger seat. As he buckled up, he ordered, "Prentiss, make this thing fly."

"Will you tell me what the hell is going on?" she asked irritably, firing up the Suburban and fastening her seat belt.

"I just figured out how to save Garcia."

* * *

Rossi and Dave flanked Derek as they searched online with Kevin Lynch. They obviously didn't trust Derek to be around the man by himself, and they didn't trust him not to return to Garcia's side after he'd been ordered to leave.

Morgan was going crazy. Every breath he took, every instinct he had inside of him was telling him to go to Penelope, to let her drink from him before it was too late. Rossi, Reid, and Hotch tried to tell him that was Garcia's vampire spirit sending him messages, but he knew better. This didn't feel like that. It wasn't like when he was in the bathroom with her. This was a gut feeling, one he knew was right, but he couldn't prove it to anyone...especially not his fellow profilers.

The moment they'd left the apartment, Hotch and Rossi had discussed plans, and Morgan had stopped Reid to apologize for his behavior as of late...

"_Look, kid," he said with a partial smile. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was __upset, and__ I shot the messenger. I was wrong."_

_Reid gave him a slight smile. "It's okay, Morgan."_

"_It's not, and I will make it up to you someday," he said. He ran a hand over his head and then punched a nearby wall. "Damn it! I just... I'm going crazy."_

"_That's only natural," Reid said, "given your relationship with Garcia."_

_Derek sighed with frustration. "I can't help but feel like I need to be there with her."_

"_Sorry, Morgan," Reid said sadly, "but it __isn't__ a good idea. This force is unpredictable around you."_

"_I think she needs to drink from me."_

_Reid shook his head. "Too dangerous. We can't risk it."_

_Derek knew better. He knew it was her only chance. In his heart, above all things, he knew it was the solution._

"_I know it seems that way, __but—"__ he began, but was interrupted by Hotch._

"_Morgan." Hotch's__ look was as clear and commanding as his voice. "We all know how much you want to save Garcia. We all do."_

_He breathed a sigh and said, "Then let __me—"_

"_We are not going to let you go on a death wish that might be just a whim," Rossi added._

"_It's not a whim. It's my gut feeling," he argued. "I have always trusted my gut, __and I__ know I can save her. I need to be with her."_

"_Do you have proof?" Hotch raised a brow in question, and he was unable to answer. "__Morgan__, your passion is guiding you, not your head. Until you have irrefutable proof, you work with __us or__ you keep us company while we work. For Garcia's __sake and__ yours."_

Now, he'd sat with them for nearly three hours, watching the geek he despised look up local covens of vampires that were most likely as fake as those _Twilight_ wannabes who wore colored contacts and dyed their hair. This was getting them nowhere, and it was driving Derek insane.

Hotch's and Rossi's first thought had been to find the one who'd done this to Garcia and see what they knew or how they lived. It was logical thinking: to cure symptoms, one needed to find the source. They'd enlisted the second best member of the Tech team at the FBI—unfortunately, Lynch—and had him find some starting areas to search.

Unfortunately, Derek didn't feel they had time. Penelope's life…_his world_…was at stake.

He didn't blame Hotch and Rossi. They didn't understand where he was coming from, what he was feeling right now. He couldn't let her die. He needed her. She was everything good in his life, everything that gave him joy and solace. She was the lightness he needed in this very dark job—this dark life—he had. Without her, he'd never smile and laugh. He'd never find peace. He'd be nothing. He'd be truly alone.

No... They couldn't possibly understand. They weren't in love with Penelope like he was.

"Why do you need this stuff anyway?" Lynch whined as he pulled up yet another site ruled by people in love with vampirism.

"Just research," Rossi ordered.

Lynch rolled his eyes and went back to the computer.

Derek's phone rang, and he answered it. "Hello?"

"Derek...it's JJ."

His heart leaped to his throat in panic. "How is she?"

"Not good," JJ said gravely. "Something's very wrong. I think you should come back. I'm in the hallway. I can't be in there. She's...not herself."

"Jayje... What happened?"

She remained quiet, but he could hear her crying.

"JJ, dammit!" he snapped, the alarm he was feeling nearly choking him. "Tell me—I'm going crazy here!"

"Morgan...I think she's changed all ready."


	14. Chapter 14

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! I had a very crazy weekend but I'm cooking now! A special shout out to the folks who have stopped by to see me at TWCS. I have a special, sexy, MA story—Can't post it here-posted there called "Strip"-_After a rough day, Derek helps Penelope unwind with a very unusual request_. Please check it out! The link to me at The Writer's Coffee Shop library is on my profile!

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**Chapter 14**

When Morgan, Rossi, and Hotch returned to Garcia's apartment minutes after JJ's call, they found her standing outside of the building. From a distance, it was obvious she was pacing and wringing her hands, and the worry that Derek had been feeling accelerated tenfold.

"Thank God," JJ cried out, running over to meet them. She looked absolutely spooked, like she'd had a nightmare of epic proportions. Her blue eyes were the size of saucers, and her hands were shaking.

"JJ, what happened?" Hotch asked immediately.

She glanced at Derek, then at Hotch and Rossi, and then back at Derek. "Did you tell them?"

"I—"

"Did you get a hold of Reid and Prentiss?" she blurted quickly. JJ never interrupted anyone—she abhored when others interrupted. She was truly shaken.

"They're out of cell range," Derek said. "I left messages and texts, but there was no answer."

"Calm down, Jennifer," Rossi said before Derek could speak again. He moved closer, wrapping an arm around their terrified teammate. "Morgan did tell us what had happened, but we want to hear it from your own lips."

JJ nodded and took a deep breath. As an agent, JJ would know that memory and recall could help Garcia, even though this obviously petrified her. It was imperative that she tell them word for word the details, over and over if needed.

Closing her eyes, JJ began. Derek could tell that she remembered everything, relaying minute for minute what had happened up until the phone call and what had happened shortly thereafter. She started to shake as she began to remember that part.

Rossi squeezed her closer to his side. "Jen...are you okay?"

"Do you need to stop?" Hotch asked gently.

Shaking her head, she pressed away from Dave and gave both Rossi and Hotch a grateful smile. "No… I've got this."

"JJ, what happened after I heard the screams?" Morgan asked, far more impatient and desperate.

Swallowing hard, JJ began again."I was... I was standing on the balcony, talking to you, telling you that she'd awakened and changed. Garcia's eyes had opened..." She paused and then shuddered visibly. "They were like nothing I had ever seen before. Bright—unnaturally bright...and colorless. Just a black dot in the center of her eyes..."

"Did she try anything? Attempt to drink your blood or attack you?" Hotch asked.

JJ shook her head. "Not at that time. She was still asleep. Her eyes were open, but she was still deathly still, not moving...not even breathing. It creeped me out. I tried talking to her, but she didn't hear me..." JJ wrapped her arms around herself as new tremors went through her body. "I feared the worst. So I stepped outside and made the call."

"And then what happened?" Hotch asked.

She swallowed hard. "One minute, I was standing on the balcony with the sliding door open, and the next, I turned and saw her standing there." JJ swiped at tears that escaped. "She had dark red eyes...the whole eye! I couldn't help it; I screamed."

"I would've, too," Rossi said honestly. "That would've freaked me out but good."

"It's not a pleasant sight," Derek agreed, causing everyone to look at him. "That's what happened before she turned in the bathroom. Her eyes were black, and then red, before they turned back to blue."

"I don't know if they changed back. Next thing I knew, Garcia shoved me farther away out the door before she slammed it. She screamed, too, Derek." A look of fear came over her. "Penelope had walked into the sunlight to shove me outside... I smelled smoke. I think she might have burned herself badly."

Derek shook his head. "She didn't. Sunlight didn't bug her like that. It made her smell like rancid meat, but she didn't fry."

"I don't know what happened, then. I tried to open the door, but she'd locked it. I pounded, begging to get in, but she said in a voice I'd never heard before to go away." JJ glanced at everyone, the tears rolling down her face. "I'm sorry. I tried. I tried so hard, and I should've stayed in there with her, but the death smell... I couldn't..."

"I think it's best that you were out," Hotch said softly. "We don't know what she's capable of now."

"This isn't your fault," Rossi said encouragingly.

She glanced at Morgan pitifully, as if she had failed him the worst. "Derek...I'm so sorry."

"JJ, it's okay," Morgan said, pulling her into his arms. He gave her a hug, and JJ hugged him back. "It's been hell for me these last few days, being her best friend and not being able to help her. You're her best friend, too; this had to have been extra tough on you, too."

JJ hugged him back. "Thank you."

"To the matter at hand, I think JJ is right," Hotch said gravely. "She's changing."

"No, she's not," Morgan said quickly.

Hotch shook his head. "Morgan, I know you want to think she's not, but—"

"She's not."

"She's got red eyes, fangs, and an aversion to sunlight," Rossi remarked. "She's turned, Derek."

"Damn it!" he snapped, snarling at the two men that had held him back all day. He needed to speak his mind and do what he should've done all along. "I know she hasn't changed. I am not going by a hunch or by some voodoo shit Penelope is emitting to _make _me think this. I am going by logic. She. Hasn't. Changed."

"How are you sure?" JJ asked.

"Because you're here," he said flatly.

"What?"

"Jayje, she _pushed you away_. She is trying to save you. Maybe your blood does smell like a treat, and maybe she does want it now, but she didn't take it," he explained desperately. "If she were a soulless demon, she would've had you down and drunk your blood in seconds."

JJ nodded, understanding dawning on her. "That's true. My back was to her. She could've had me."

"Don't you guys see?" he asked, pleading with each one of them to open their eyes to reason. "She's locking you guys out. She's baring you from her to keep you safe because she doesn't trust what she's become."

"You're right," Rossi said.

"She doesn't trust herself...but I trust her," Morgan continued. He took a deep, thinking breath, and then repeated in a resolute manner, "I trust her. She's been like that with me, and she's fought it, so hard she passed out instead of hurting me. I trust her implicitly."

"Derek...what are you saying?" JJ asked, giving him a wary look.

"I want to go in there and be with her."

Hotch shook his head. "Morgan, this is unpredictable. We can't—"

"Hotch, we don't have time," he interrupted, every bone in his body telling him to fight for Penelope. "You all are right—she's changing, and she needs help. She needs something to turn back the clock, turn her humanity back...if only to buy us more time for a few hours."

"I wish we knew what that was," Rossi said.

"I know," Derek whispered. "It's something she craves more than anything else. Something precious to her," he said softly, staring up at her apartment window. "Almost as precious as she is to me."

"What is it?" Hotch asked.

He glanced back at them. "Me."

* * *

Penelope lay curled on the floor, the tears coming to her eyes. She had blackened skin on her arm where she'd been hit by sunlight. It burned and hurt like nothing had ever hurt her before. It hadn't even hurt that much when she was shot.

It terrified her, too. If sunlight fried her like a crisp now, she was surely changing into a monster. There was no hope left for her. She was going to find out from Reid via email how to kill this thing she'd become, and then she'd take her own life.

She'd protected JJ from what she was, and she was going to protect the rest of the team. No one should be near her. She was truly alone. Truly a monster.

It was then she heard a pounding on her door. "Penelope Garcia. Open this door!"

Derek!

"Go away," she croaked from across the room. She couldn't smell his scent through the door, and that was a blessing. "Go. Shoo! Get out of here."

"Baby Girl, I am not going anywhere. Open the damn door!"

"Derek! I burned myself in sunlight, and I'm craving blood worse than ever," she said. "It's done. Just...go away."

"Sweetheart, you're not a vampire yet. Not completely. Please, open the door and let me help you," he begged.

Her cold, still heart ached with how badly she wanted to believe him, but she knew it was smoke and mirrors. She laughed bitterly. "How? How can you help me?"

"By giving you my blood."

"Ahhh...I think you need your blood still, Hot Stuff!" she snapped back sarcastically.

Good Lord...she still had her sense of humor.

"Not all of it," he said quickly. "Not what you need." She could hear the thickness in his voice as he said, "Come on, Baby...let me save you."

Oh, she wanted so badly to accept, but she knew that she shouldn't. "Derek..."

"Baby...I trust you. I know you wouldn't kill me."

"Well, I don't trust me," she said miserably.

"Honey, I know you don't. All I'm saying is that you need to have faith in me," he said. "That this is the right thing to do. I know it, deep in my heart, that if you drink from me, you're going to get better."

"How do you know that? How do you know it isn't just my aura calling you?" she asked, knowing it sounded too good to be true. Penelope knew that was a fact: she never got what she truly wanted. Girls like her rarely ever won in life. "How?"

He took a moment to answer, but when he did, she felt her heart expanding again.

"Call it gut instinct, angel," he said softly. "I've been right most of my life when I followed my gut. My gut told me you were special—from that first time I called you Baby Girl—and that you are still the most special girl I'll even know. I've let you go too many times in my life for reasons that are insignificant in the grand scheme of things." He paused and asked, "Isn't it about time I grew a pair and followed my gut where you're concerned?"

She smiled just a little and brushed away a tear. She wanted to believe in him, like she always did. She really did. She was so scared, and...

"Come on, Penelope," he murmured hopefully. "Open the door."

And to her own amazement...she did.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Surprise! You all had to wait so long for the last update due to my issues, I decided to hit you with another one the next day! Enjoy...

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**Chapter 15**

Penelope was a sucker.

Not a blood sucker—although she _was_ that—but she was also the "one born every minute" kind, too. She had no intention of ever seeing anyone from her team again, especially now that their blood smelled almost as good as her Hot Stuff's. She knew she needed to protect her friends—her true family—and if that meant she needed to keep them away from her forever, she would do that. She was determined and resolute. Nothing was going to sway her.

So then why was she looking at Derek's face through a gap in the door?

Oh, she was weak. If it had been anyone else, she could've done it, she could've avoided them, but her dead heart was begging her to see Derek. She longed to see him with everything she had left in her soulless body, if only to tell him she loved him just this one last time. They'd said that so flippantly for so long; she hadn't known exactly how precious those three words were until now.

The minute she'd opened the door, she'd known she was right. This had been a terrible mistake. The scent of him—the delicious, terrifically fantastic scent—wafted to her and made her stomach growl like it hadn't in days. She could feel her eyes begin to change; they burned and everything had crystal clarity—like a hunting cat with night vision. At the same time, her fangs protruded more than usual, so when she licked her dry lips, her tongue caught on the tips. Her nipples peaked hard like diamonds, and there was a wetness growing between her legs. Oh, how she hungered for him! She wanted to grab him and never let go.

Thank goodness she'd left the chain on the door for his protection.

"Morgan..." She paused to swallow the accumulation of saliva in her mouth and then coughed to get her voice functioning again. "This is not a good idea. You need to go."

"Yes, it is," he said. His warm brown eyes were a welcome caress. She wanted to stay in their depths forever, drown herself in his love, and hope for the best. "Let me in."

"I can't... I can't control it anymore, D," she murmured, the despair growing inside making her want to howl. She thought only werewolves howled, but her heart was baying against this atrocity, like a lonely coyote in the desert, longing for its mate.

"Penelope, let me in, or step back."

She shook her head in protest. "No, Derek. I just wanted to say that I love you, and I will... Eek!"

Jumping out of the way in time, she squeaked as Derek took that moment to kick solidly at the door and send her miniscule chain lock flying open. She stared at it for a moment, watching the links dangling.

So much for that added protection; that was as bad as a holey condom!

When she met his eyes, he was grinning at her. "I'll fix it, sweetheart."

That made her sigh. She didn't need him to fix it... She'd be dead before the night was out, and the next poor person in her apartment of doom could deal with it.

Derek shut the door—the latch and handle still worked—and started walking toward her. "Hey, Baby Girl...you look kinda hungry..."

Oh, she wasn't just hungry... She was starving. He looked so good that she licked her lips. Not only did her stomach gnaw with hunger, but her nipples throbbed and her womb contracted. Her physical hunger and her lust were even at the moment, both warring for dominance in her body.

What was worse, she really didn't know...

For a moment, that struck her rather oddly. Before this happened to her—before the big, bad bite—she'd had a combination of those feelings for him. Evenings when they'd gone out, danced, flirted, she'd come home and find that she was starving. That was usually followed by the consumption of an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's®.

Well, at least that hadn't changed.

"Derek, don't tease," she barked. That was cruel of him to flaunt himself like that.

"I'm not teasing," he said as he continued his pursuit of her. "JJ told me what happened...how weak you're getting and how you reacted to her."

She nodded.

"And you're sure you're changing?"

"Yes," she whispered, tears rising to her eyes.

"I think so, too."

She huffed. "That's why you need to go. Shoo! Shoo!" She waved her hands at him toward the door.

"Do you remember how you felt after you drank my blood?" he asked, making her stop the shooing motions.

Did she remember? Of course she remembered! It had been one of the only pleasurable experiences she'd had as a vampire! She'd had only two: drinking Derek's blood and reading Derek's mind. Somehow, it was no big surprise that both of those moments involved him.

He'd backed her up as far as he could, and then he smiled and cupped her face in his hands. "Do you remember how lifelike you were, how you returned to us, because of my life essence?"

She shuddered, fighting the urge to drink him dry. She slammed her eyes shut and murmured, "Of course."

"Penelope, baby, I don't think you're supposed to fight this. You didn't have an aura that day calling to me, but I still wanted to give to you, to share with you."

His voice was so soft, so tender and understanding, it made her want to cry. He'd sacrifice it all for her, give his life in exchange for hers, but she couldn't let him do that. His life meant far more to her than her own.

"Please go," she gasped out, tears making her chin quiver.

"Baby, I don't know why, but this is right."

"Derek, please!" she screamed, wrenching away from him and running from him to the kitchen.

"You won't hurt me," he said, unbuttoning his collar and following her.

She stared at the long, sexy column of his neck that he revealed, and her whole body throbbed in anticipation. She was mesmerized…she couldn't stop staring at that fabulous mocha skin and the sculpted muscles of his chest as he continued to unbutton that vexing shirt.

"I will," she mumbled hoarsely, feeling her whole body buzz and tingle with awareness as he reached the bottom of the shirt. Oh, how she wanted him to drop that fabric!

He grinned softly, his expression radiating unconditional trust, and then he toed his shoes off. "You won't."

"Derek...I will. I know I will." She hung her head in despair, so afraid and yet unable to push him away.

"Answer me this: if I were in your shoes, would I hurt you?" he asked gently, his stocking feet appearing in her down-turned gaze.

"Of course not," she answered quickly.

"Then what makes you any different?"

"I...can't..."

"Let me do this, Penelope," he pleaded. "This ain't some aura drawing me or anything like that. I am awake, and I am willing. Just let me save you, sweetheart."

For a moment, she hoped beyond hope. Was he right? They didn't have much time; it was far worse than she'd led on. She was losing her memories, just like the book had said. She didn't know her social security number or her birthday. She couldn't remember important parts of her past...or even her parents' names.

But somehow...she remembered him. She remembered that his dog was named Clooney, that he drove a motorcycle and didn't like sushi. She even remembered that he'd called her Gomez the first time they'd met.

He was her everything...and she didn't want to hurt him. What if this was wrong? What if...

"Derek," she whispered desolately as a fat tear careened down her cheek.

"Drink from me," he ordered. "This is right, sweetness. You know it is."

She didn't know. More tears fell. "I..."

Placing his fingers under her chin, he brought her gaze to meet his. What she saw there made her cold heart surge and give a resounding, longed-for beat.

_Baby, don't you see? This is it, the only solution. Drink from me, make us one. True soul mates—body, mind, and spirit._

He was right. He had to be right...

Biting her bottom lip, yet still with just a hint of smile, she said, "Your shirt could get dirty..."

Derek slid his shirt over off his shoulders and threw it across the room. The scent, his delicious scent, wafted up and made her stomach and her groin clench.

"No more excuses."

Without any more preamble, he reached for her, picked her up, and sat her on the edge of her kitchen cupboard. Parting her legs and stepping in between, he cupped her bottom, drew her closer, and then stroked a hand up her back to her neck. Drawing her head down, he gave her the lightest kiss, barely brushing his mouth across hers, and then drew her down to the pulsing vein in his neck.

Penelope took a deep, tantalizing breath. For a moment, she trailed her lips over the candied skin in front of her, lapping once with her tongue on a particularly tasty spot. She drew her head back, opened her mouth wider, and then sank her teeth into the vein.

She moaned, her teeth anchored tightly, and then applied the slightest suction, letting his sweet, salty blood flood her mouth in a pulsing wave of pure bliss.


	16. Chapter 16

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! This is edited from my original and it should pass FF muster!... The version in it's full, rather explicit glory will be posted at The Writers' Coffee Shop Library link that's on my profile pretty soon! Enjoy!

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**Chapter 16**

**Warning: Rated M content**

For a moment, Derek felt his stomach drop and the hair rise on the back of his arms as a jolt of fear at what he was doing rolled over him. However, just as soon as the negative thought whooshed by, warmth and pure joy settled over him.

_Damn_, this felt good!

If someone asked him what it felt like, he knew he couldn't explain it. The feel of her lips touching his neck as she drew blood, the occasional brush of her tongue when she drew a little harder, the sharp prickle of her teeth. It was like the best hickey he'd ever received, yet it was so much more. There was a deep, erotic pulsing that surged through his whole body and vibrated around him. It was almost like she wasn't just kissing his neck; she was kissing his soul.

Derek leaned his head back and groaned as the wash of indescribably pleasurable sensations surged through his blood. Everything seemed to radiate from his neck to his groin in waves of sensual delight. He ached and throbbed; he wanted to hold her and never let go.

As if she could understand what he was thinking, she wrapped her legs around his waist, running her hands up and down his back in a full body caress. He tugged her forward as he thrust his hips and felt warmth against her body. It was another different sensation; her hips beneath his palms were chilly, and her core was scalding him in the best possible way. Unable to help himself, Derek gave a little roll of his hips, insinuating himself closer, and smiled when he heard a whimper of need from her.

"Oh, Baby Girl," he whispered, sliding his hands to her soft, sweetly-curved bottom, massaging and teasing both her and himself. "How I want to make you mine..."

"I want that, too," he heard her say, clear as a bell. "I've always wanted that. I wish I could tell you, but I can't stop...not yet...can't..."

Derek frowned at her words. She _wished_ she could tell him? What was she doing right now?

He felt the continued sweet suction on his neck as she said, _It's so good__...he tastes so__ good! I always knew if I ever got a chance to taste my chocolate god, he'd be delicious, but he's not just delicious. He lived up to his name—he's __divine._

_Oh, God..._ He was reading her thoughts, like she could read his!

_Of course_, he heard her say with almost a giggle in her tone, _when I dreamed of drinking something hot and wet from my hot stuff down my throat, it surely __wasn't blood! But this will do__...for__ now_.

When he felt her smile against his throat, he couldn't hold back his chuckle. He gave her a little spank on her butt and said, "My sweet little dirty girl..."

That made her to tense just a bit, and she sank her teeth a touch deeper, causing him to give a quick hiss of pleasure-pain.

"I can hear your thoughts, sweetheart, just like you could hear mine," he explained, rubbing his hands along her back in a gentle massage.

_You can? _He had to smile; she sounded a little nervous. She should be; she had a twisted mind!

"Yes, angel, I can," he answered.

_What's my favorite color?_

"Purple," he answered quickly, "except on Wednesdays, then it's pink."

_Oh shit!_

As he laughed, the pressure change must've caused a surge of blood into her mouth. She moved a little closer, lapped at a trickle of blood that had escaped with her tongue, and then drew a little harder. Heady sparks lit behind his eyelids. It made his body pulse and buzz, and he couldn't fight the grunt and the shudder that overtook him. She had him so close to the edge that he almost spilled his release.

He'd been aching since the moment he'd decided to let her drink from him. He was perspiring and breathing hard; he could feel the rivulets of sweat rolling down his bare back. He couldn't take this torture anymore. He needed her—all of her—more than he needed his own life.

"God, baby," he grunted, "do you want to make love as ba—"

_YES!_ she practically screamed, reaching her hands to his waistband and tugging on his belt.

At the same time, he rolled her forward and tugged her tights, sweeping them over her bottom and down her legs. She finally freed his belt, pulling it through the loops and tossing it across the room, and then began fumbling with the button of his jeans.

Derek undid the zipper of her dress and then the clasp of her bra, sliding both down at the same time. He had to halt her in her work with his pants to get the fabric over her hands to let it pool at her waist. It was then he noticed the skin on her arm that had been blackened was now nearly healthy looking again—still pale, but healed. He didn't have time to ponder it; Penelope's _voice_ was rising in urgency.

_Naked! You need to be naked_, she ordered, bringing her hands back to his zipper and lowering it.

"Honey, hold your horses," he said softly. He intended on lifting her and bringing her to her bed...making slow, sexy love while she drank her fill.

Obviously, she had other ideas.

In the next second, she slid her hands inside his boxer briefs and gripped his butt, giving a squeeze.

_Oh, yeahhh, _she cooed in a purely lecherous tone_. My baby's got back..._

He laughed, but then she shoved his pants and his boxers down in a sweep and trailed her hands forward.

_Is this what you meant by holding my horses?_ she asked.

"Okay, you win. You win," he gasped, groaned, and laughed at the same time. "I give."

With a gleeful giggle that gurgled just slightly, she released him, reached for her panties, and, with a slight wiggle on the counter, pulled them off.

Derek lifted her up off the counter and she clutched her arms around his shoulders. He lifted her and carried her towards the bedroom. The feeling was indescribably good. He stumbled at the sensations rocking through him. He had been afraid he'd feel weak, but he didn't. Instead, he felt like he could take on the world.

By the time he'd reached her bed and fell onto it, their bodies were so close, they were plastered together. Each breath was shared, each movement united. As they made love, he was unable to think of anything but this woman, this moment.

"Penelope, I love you," he murmured, needing to say the words that bubbled in his heart and soul. He knew she felt it, too. It was so incredible; he could feel every emotion, feel every need she had, anticipating her next want before she could give voice to it. It was like she was in his heart and he was in hers, a glorious gift of love to one another.

Penelope released his neck, laved the spot she'd bitten with her tongue, and then reached for his head.

"I love you," she whispered to him before drawing his mouth down to hers.

They kissed deeply, harmoniously, as they continued to show each other their love.


	17. Chapter 17

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. We're getting there... Here comes another chapter...

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**Chapter 17**

For a while afterward, Penelope and Derek lay together, holding each other, trading kisses and caresses as lovers do. Her warm fingers felt good on his body, so different from the clammy coldness that she'd had prior to feeding from him. That wasn't the only thing that Derek noticed that was very different from just a few moments before. In the low lamplight in the room, her skin was rosy pink and smooth ivory, the way he'd always dreamed she'd look when naked in his arms. The gray cast was completely gone, only the faintest bluish veins coloring her skin now.

He settled his dark hand over her soft tummy and noticed his own skin was its usual color, a medium mocha brown that could be darker; he'd been working too much and missing the sun. He'd been kind of ashy after she'd drunk from his finger, but this time, it didn't seem to bother him as much. He felt good...no, he felt wonderful. The best he'd ever felt in his life.

"Your arm is healed," he commented, drawing a finger over the skin of her forearm, lightly tracing nondescript patterns.

"Mmm..." she answered with her eyes closed and her ears half-listening.

"You're beautiful," he murmured, more for himself than for her. She was breathtaking to him, the total package. God, he loved touching her. She was so exquisite, so uniquely Penelope.

"You, too," she murmured in return, her voice sounding sleepy.

That caused him to chuckle low in his throat. He couldn't have her sleeping on him—he had plans for this girl.

He trailed his fingers downward, circling her belly button, causing her to giggle.

"Stop that," she said with a playful swat against his arm, her midnight blue eyes sparkling with pleasure and mischief. It seemed like forever since he'd seen them look that way.

"I don't think so," he murmured, looming over her and brushing his lips over hers.

"Umm...I'm glad..." she answered, looping her arms around his shoulders.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her neck, placing delicate kisses there. He felt her tense beneath him and looked down at her in question.

She blushed, and her eyes grew misty. "My bite mark...I hate it, Derek."

"Hey, momma," he said teasingly, trying to lighten the mood, tipping his head to the right. "I match."

With soft fingers, she reached up and touched his little puncture wounds she'd made. "You do. I'm so sorry, I—"

He held her gaze, wanting to show her all the love he felt for her. "Baby Girl, I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"I know, I just...I—"

"It's a part of you. Shows how strong you are, that you're a survivor," he answered, trailing his fingers down her chest to her scar there. "Just like your gunshot wound."

"Oh, Derek," she whispered, her expression losing all the fear and filling with nothing but love.

The need to take her, consume her and make her his again raised to the surface. Hovering over her mouth, he whispered, "With or without scars...To me, you're absolute perfection."

He took her mouth in a soul deep, stirring kiss that made him growl and her moan and arch her hips upward. On and on, he kissed her, savoring the sweet taste of her mouth, the feel of her body conforming under his.

"I want you so bad!" she cried, clutching at his back. "I have to have you now."

Someday soon, they were going to have a coupling that was not so frantic, but today was not that day. It might have been just her vampire lust talking and making him crazy, but he completely equaled her need. He'd never wanted anyone like he wanted her. He'd just come the strongest he could ever remember having come, and yet, he wanted her again, with endless, gnawing hunger.

"Do you need to drink from me?" he huskily asked as he positioned himself between her legs.

She shook her head. "No...I just want you."

That surprised him; sexual lust and blood lust went hand in hand, didn't they?

Before he could think any more, they joined together in an outward expression of their love.

* * *

"Good morning," Derek said from underneath her.

She'd been draped on him for most of the night, using him as her pillow. He was so warm and comfy; she didn't want to get up.

"Morning, angelfish."

Softly, he kissed the top of her head. "You hungry?"

She had to think about it for a second. Amazingly, she wasn't. She should be, too; she'd worked up an appetite. They'd spent the entire night making love, sampling, savoring, tasting, and experiencing each other. The memory made her smile. Mmmm, he was delicious everywhere...and not all pre-vampire "foods" disgusted her. Or maybe it was just him—he was perfect for her in every way.

Getting back to her original thinking, she realized this really was kind of weird. His scent wasn't bothering her. Derek drove her mad; she had to think and resist whenever she was around him. Now...he was still irresistible, but not so...edible. Usually, she woke famished for a feeding, too, but now, she felt absolutely fine. Well, she was a little hungry, but not the dire hunger that made her want to suck on his neck and feast on his delicious, sweet and salty blood that she—

Bile rose in her throat, and she had to swallow it back. Ugh. The thought of drinking blood made her stomach flip and made her feel squeamish. That was bizarre, too.

Ignoring everything that had just run through her mind and swallowing again, trying to rid herself of the acidic remnants in her throat, she shook her head and answered, "Not really."

Derek chuckled. "Well, I'm starving."

Shaking her head sadly, she said, "Sorry, Baby Boy, I got nothing for you."

"I don't know," he said with a lascivious grin. "You look pretty damn tasty to me."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "And I thought I was the one with uncontrollable vampire lust."

"That's nothing compared to what I got," he answered, tugging her on top of him. "An incurable case of Penelope Garciaitis."

She giggled and wiggled her hips against his. "You got swelling of _something_, that's for sure."

His eyebrow shot upward, and a smirk curved his perfect lips. "If you don't know what that is by now, Baby Girl, I—"

He was interrupted by the sound of her door opening and a yell from what sounded like David Rossi. "Are you two decent yet?"

Penelope blinked rapidly and slid off Derek, taking the comforter with her to cover herself.

"Come on...we gave you the entire night," Prentiss called out.

"You did not," Reid snapped. "You sent me in to check on things at—oww!"

Both Penelope and Derek, who had been stifling giggles, started laughing at that one.

"Poor Reid," Penelope said, still grinning but blushing, too.

"Give us ten," Derek called out.

"We don't trust you two," JJ said that time. "We're not leaving until you come out."

Penelope stood and wrapped the blanket around herself. "I suppose we'd better get dressed."

Derek shrugged. "My pants are in the other room. I think we're stuck in here..."

A second later, his pants came flying though the beaded curtain. He stood and reached for them, whispering to Penelope with a wicked leer, "No boxers. I guess I'm going commando!"

His boxers came sliding under the curtain, as if someone had kicked them rapidly toward him.

Penelope watched him move about, reaching for his boxers. A naked Morgan parading in her bedroom was just not an everyday occurrence, and it was worth staring at.

As he tugged his boxers on, he looked over at her and shot her an arrogant grin. "Keep looking at me like that, angel, and we're never getting out of here."

"Oh...sorry," she said, and then slowly let the blanket drop. Two could play at that game...

Within a minute, he had her in his arms. "You don't fight fair..."

"Mmm hmmm," she murmured as she looped her arms around his neck and tugged him down to her lips.

"We were right not to leave," JJ called out again, interrupting them. "Get dressed!"

Flustered, Penelope blushed. God, she was insatiable! This was getting out of hand.

Penelope buried her face in his chest. "Damn vampire lust," she grumbled.

"Yeah." Derek smiled and dropped a kiss on top of her head. "I'd better go out there."

Pouting, she nodded. "Yeah...you'd better."

She watched him leave the room and thought the room felt colder without him. She smiled softly and then sighed dreamily—this vampire connection was nice! She hoped it never ended.

She reached for her bra, panties, and a dress to get ready to meet her team.


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews. Here comes more of the vampire saga... (Never thought I would be typing those words!)..

* * *

**Chapter 18**

When Morgan exited Garcia's bedroom, he was met by five rather interested sets of eyes. The entire team was sitting lined up in a row on Penelope's little purple loveseat, like sardines in an over-packed can. He could tell they were all waiting for him to say something, to see if he was ready to keel over or something after making love to Garcia.

He didn't know why they were so curious. They already knew what had happened, and if they took a good look at him, they'd see he was happy as a clam and healthy, to boot. It also didn't bother Derek one bit that they all knew he'd had sex with his best friend; in fact, he was proud of it. Hell, he'd tell the world, shout it from the rooftops that they'd made love and she'd drunk his blood. He wasn't at all ashamed; it was the right thing to do. In fact, he felt it was the most right thing he'd ever done.

Although he knew they were curious, being the stinker that he was, he didn't bother saying anything. "I'm going to get some OJ," he said, padding on his bare feet past the packed little living room and into the kitchen.

The first person willing to say anything was Reid. "Uh...how do you feel?"

Prentiss rolled her eyes. "Captain Obvious, I think you can tell just looking at him."

Derek paused with the carton of orange juice near his mouth. "What?"

"He looks rather healthy and well-rested," JJ said, ignoring Derek's comment.

Rossi chuckled. "That he does. The man has that post-coital glow about him..."

At that moment, Penelope came through the curtains, blushing prettily and ferociously. Far less arrogant about her sexual conquests than he was, she looked like she wanted to shrink back into the curtain or floor or anywhere but there.

"I agree...he _reeks _satisfaction," Prentiss grumbled jealously. "The lucky bastard."

That made Derek chuckle. Being Prentiss's partner, he knew that she hadn't had much luck in the dating arena lately. It wasn't an uncommon discussion, talking about each other's love life—or lack thereof. And if Prentiss wanted to be mean, she could point out he hadn't been with a woman in over seven months...so that chuckle of his was cut short.

"For the love of—" Reid snapped, both irritated and embarrassed. "I am not asking how he feels sexually. I was in the apartment in the middle of that."

Derek's brows shot up in surprise. "You were in here?"

"Someone had to make sure you weren't killing each other." Reid flushed a dull brick color and moved his collar.

"Killing each other?" Penelope asked gingerly. "Why would you think...?"

"You were not quite yourself, PG...and we could hear all the noise you two were making..." Prentiss remarked, letting her voice trail off.

"For Morgan's safety, we thought someone should check," Hotch added, and even their usually stoic leader looked somewhat uncomfortable.

"Oh, God!" Penelope said, her hands flying up to cover her bright pink cheeks to hide her mortification. "Let the world swallow me whole, please!"

"Sorry, Garcie," JJ said sympathetically, biting her bottom lip and cringing slightly.

"Hey kid," Derek announced, breaking the tension that was bothering his girl so much. He grinned from over in the kitchen. "If you were in here, you should've known it was better than fine, or you don't deserve that genius title we gave you."

Prentiss wrinkled her nose distastefully, but her eyes were twinkling with good humor. "Eww, Morgan. Please."

"What I think Reid was originally trying to ask," Hotch said, gaining the group's attention, "was how do you feel after Penelope drank your blood?"

Derek knew the time for teasing was over and they needed to get down to business. He gave a self-appraisal, taking a deep breath to double check.

"Fine. I feel fine. Heart is beating, I'm breathing fine, and I feel strong and alive." He looked over and held Penelope's eyes, the warmth he felt in his heart radiating from them. He wanted to cross the room, hold her in his arms, and tell the world how much he loved her. Instead, he continued, his voice catching with just the slightest huskiness. "I was with my Baby Girl; I couldn't be more wonderful."

Penelope's lips curved slightly, and this time, the color flooding her cheeks was a happy, radiant glow.

"How are you feeling, Garcia?" Reid asked, and Derek could tell she had to tear her gaze away from him. Their connection was so strong, it was a palpable thing. He wondered how much was this vampire aura and how much was just them and their feelings?

Placing the orange juice back in the fridge, he made his way over to her. Vampire desire drawing him or not, he didn't care; he just needed to be near her.

"I'm great," she said honestly. "I feel like I'm human or even better than human. I feel..." She paused, as if she were trying to find the right words, and when he stood by her and held her hand, she sighed deeply and said, "Reborn. I feel alive, like I've never felt before."

Prentiss grinned at Reid, who returned the smile. As Morgan looked around the room, he noticed that everyone else was smiling, too, as if they were posing for toothpaste commercials. It was kind of disconcerting; their team was not the jolliest bunch of people.

Derek frowned at Penelope and noticed she had the same confused look. He arched a brow. "What's going on?"

Penelope moved closer to Derek's side, and he could feel her shiver and see the gooseflesh that rose on her arms. "That's what I'd like to know, too."

"Garcia, you feel alive because we think you _could be_ alive again," Prentiss answered.

Penelope gasped. "What?"

"It's true," Reid added quickly. "Prentiss and I rushed here because we discovered the cure for your vampirism."

Derek was flabbergasted. "Wait a minute? Did you just say a _cure_?"

Reid nodded. "Yes. It was in the book we found...and it just so happens that you two might have stumbled upon it at the same time we did."

"Just in time, too," Rossi said. "A few more hours..."

JJ gave a sad look. "It would've been disastrous."

"Of course, we don't know for sure," Reid began. "We need to test—"

Penelope tensed. "Test?"

Reid's brow pursed for a second. "Well, yes. Blood loss can cause a lot of damage to internal organs, but so far, Morgan looks good and everything has been according to plan."

Penelope was getting whiter by the second. "Damage? Looks good?"

"Well, of course, Garcia. We won't know until we look and see, and..."

As Reid continued to babble, Penelope trembled more in Derek's arms, and she swayed just slightly, like she was feeling faint. "I think I'd better sit down."

Derek could understand how she felt; he was feeling rather queasy himself. This was a lot to take in. A cure! It was beyond his best hopes.

He braced his arm around her and asked, "Can you give us a second?"

Everyone scattered from the little purple loveseat as he walked her there and took a seat.

He held Penelope's hand and squeezed, and when she met his gaze, he told her in his mind, _Don't worry, baby. It'll be all right._

Penelope's eyes began to water, and he could see panic rising in them. "Derek...something's wrong. I—I...can't tell what you're thinking... I..."

"Penelope..."

She bit her bottom lip, hard. "Derek, what if I hurt you somehow? I know you think you feel fine, but what if I...?"

"Don't worry about me," he reassured her. "This is good, angel. They're talking about a cure!"

"I know, and I want it so bad, but...but..." She met his gaze, and the look in her eyes tore his heart. "I'm afraid to hope."

Immediately, Derek cupped her face in his hands. "Baby Girl, we're going to get through this. No matter what we find out, we're together. Okay?"

She nodded, and he leaned closer to brush her lips with his. Derek cleared his throat to draw the group's attention and then shot a poignant look at Reid. "Start at the beginning, please."


	19. Chapter 19

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews, everyone. Just the epilogue left after this...

* * *

**Chapter 19**

Taking chairs from wherever they could find them in Penelope's packed apartment, the team gathered in the living room again and settled down so they could all talk. Penelope and Derek got to sit on the loveseat, front and center, and Reid had the easy chair closest to them.

"I take it you all heard this from Reid and Prentiss already?" Morgan asked. He placed his hand on Penelope's nervously tapping knee in a reassuring fashion, and she steadied almost immediately afterward.

"We have a general idea," Hotch remarked.

"The Cliff notes version," JJ added, "because they would have to tell you guys, too."

"However, we wished to dispel worries and ease everyone's minds," Reid said with a gentle, closed-lipped smile.

"And we had nothing better to do, since you two were _otherwise occupied_," Rossi commented with a snarky little grin that caused Penelope to blush again.

Ignoring Rossi, Derek reached for Penelope's hand, giving it a loving squeeze, and then directed his attention to Reid. "What did you find out?"

"Prentiss and I were at Mildred's, getting ready to do some more research, focusing on that one book that had showed promise," Reid began. "I hesitated on that because I didn't want to put all of our eggs in one basket, so to speak."

"Understandable," Rossi concurred with a nod.

"However, that book seemed to be the one that coincided the closest with Penelope's symptoms," he continued, drawling out the explanation, "and Mildred was having difficulty keeping up with the translations."

Emily, soft heart that she really was, immediately jumped to Mildred's defense. "She tried. She's such a sweetheart, and she felt terrible she wasn't quicker with the translations."

"No, that makes sense," JJ said in agreement. "She has older eyes; they needed rest."

"I will forever be in her debt for what she has done for me," Penelope said softly, "regardless of how this all turns out."

Hearing the slight quaver to her voice that showed her worry, Derek brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. Perhaps it was this vampire closeness, but he couldn't stand the slightest thought of upset for his Baby Girl.

Prentiss was grinning again. "Well, sweet Mildred surprised us."

Morgan quirked a brow in question. He didn't figure she would suddenly grow new, younger eyes...but Penelope was a vampire—not much would surprise him anymore.

"A friend of hers returned unexpectedly and finished translating the rest of the book," Reid said, smiling brightly.

"All one hundred fifty remaining pages," Prentiss added.

"One hundred fifty-nine," Reid corrected.

"That's wonderful!" Penelope exclaimed, beaming for a second before that nervous look settled over her features again.

"What did it say?" Derek asked, feeling the same nervous hopefulness that Penelope was exuding. Quietly, he did something he didn't do anywhere near as often as he should—he prayed.

For her...and for himself.

"The book...that really surprised us," Reid began a little awkwardly. "It wasn't a reference or an actual account like we had thought."

"What was it, then?" Penelope asked.

"A romance novel," Prentiss piped in.

Penelope's eyes were huge round circles as she whispered, "Wow."

"A very _steamy r_omance novel," Prentiss continued with cheesy grin.

At first, Derek felt incredulous, and then his heart sank. He knew that Penelope was feeling the same thing. What in the hell could a romance novel have to say that could help her? They were all made up!

"Not exactly," Reid explained, interrupting Derek's train of thought. "It was more a fairy tale."

"Fairy tales don't usually have that much sex in it, and believe me," Prentiss argued, waving a hand like she was cooling herself off, "that book had a lot of sex."

"Well, technically, this—"

"Please," Hotch announced flatly, drawing the attention of the room. "You two can argue semantics later. Continue."

"Wait a minute... How does this help Penelope?" Derek asked. He didn't give a damn if it were a joke book; he just wanted his baby back.

"The protagonist in the story was at the same point Garcia was at, getting ready to change like other people in the story had already done. Her vampire characteristics were becoming more pronounced, and her human body was shutting down," Reid explained.

"At the same time, her blood lust was increasing, as was the need for sex," Prentiss added and then directed her gaze to Penelope. "That's how you were feeling, right?"

She nodded. "Originally, it was just Morgan, but I was starting to crave other people's blood."

"Sex, too?" Prentiss asked.

"No," Penelope answered and then colored and shook her head. "That's only for D."

Prentiss shot Reid a look, and they both smiled again before Reid continued. "The heroine had a fiancé who was out searching for a cure. The townspeople wouldn't let her near him because she'd made multiple attempts on his life, and yet, he'd appeared to be drawn to her."

"Because he couldn't find help where he needed it," Prentiss added, "he'd found a witch who said it was actually a curse and that there was a cure."

Derek was on the edge of his seat. "What was it?"

Prentiss shot him a knowing look, one that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "The witch told him that he already knew what the cure was."

"Which was...?" Penelope encouraged, obviously on the edge of her seat just as much as Derek himself was.

Derek knew the answer; he'd known all along. It was what his body had been craving, what he had longed to do for her. "Drinking from me."

Penelope frowned. "But I drank your blood from your finger, and it almost killed you."

"I think that it wasn't enough," Reid interjected, again trying to explain the unexplainable. "In order for a cure, there had to be sharing involved. You needed to...ah..."

"You had to share your heart and your body," Prentiss explained. "You gave yourself to him, and he gave himself to you."

Reid concluded, "The witch said that in giving and receiving, he would become stronger, not weaker."

"Sounds like any good relationship to me," Rossi said. "A little give and take."

"Aww," JJ said, sitting back with a smile. "That's kind of beautiful, isn't it?"

"Unfortunately, I get more of the takers in my relationships," Rossi quipped with a smirk.

Derek was still frowning, trying to let it sink in. "So...could anyone do this?"

Reid shook his head. "They needed to share everything, even their souls. It had to be the one the heroine desired, the only one, to reverse the curse. Her _suflet pereche_."

At their blank looks, Prentiss said, "Her _soul mate_."

"Holy shit." Derek felt his stomach bottom out, and a dizzy feeling of shock and relief ran through his body.

This time, Penelope squeezed his hand to calm him down. "Please...keep going."

"That was the end of the curse and nearly the end of the story. Everything was typical happily ever after, and the couple lived to old age together." Reid shrugged, as if the whole thing still shocked him. "It seemed unlikely, but so much else fit...it was our best chance."

Morgan's mind was still swimming. This was a lot to take in.

"And you didn't have to do a thing but let nature take its course," Rossi said, shaking his head. "Incredible."

"You do realize how lucky you two are?" Hotch arched a brow at them.

Penelope nodded. "I think of that vampire that bit me, and I almost feel sorry for him."

"Why?" Rossi asked.

Penelope gently squeezed Derek's hand. "He didn't have someone who loved him like I do."

Derek kissed her fingers again.

"Well, regardless of feelings, we do need to focus on catching the other vampire so he never does this to anyone again," Hotch said.

"We'll start tomorrow," Rossi said with a nod.

"You know...Reid's right," JJ said with a smile. "This really is a fairy tale."

Prentiss frowned. "Really?"

Hotch nodded. "I agree with JJ. It is."

"There's even a moral to this story," JJ said.

"Eat what you like?" Rossi teased.

JJ slapped his arm and rolled her eyes. "No, it's—"

"True love conquers all," Penelope interrupted, turning to face him. Gently, she cupped his face in her hands. "You're my hero, Derek Morgan, and I am so glad you saved me."

The warmth in her eyes washed over him, filling his heart and his soul. He turned his face and kissed her hand. "Anytime, sweetheart. You've been my guardian angel for a long time...and you've saved me a thousand times over."

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he replied, leaning forward to kiss her.

They kissed for a moment, a sweet kiss filled with love and promise, before they were interrupted.

"Guys?" Reid said, blushing again. "We have some final testing to do, and—"

"And we're _starving_," Prentiss added.

"Enough mushy business," Rossi remarked with a wink. "Let's get this over with and get on with our lives...and get to Angelo's pizza parlor."

Derek smiled at Penelope. "Sound like a plan?"

She nodded. "Even garlic sounds great to me."

They stood together, hand in hand, walking out of Penelope's apartment and toward their happily ever after.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: Dedicated to JenRar, my dear friend…if I hadn't been betaing your Twilight FFs, I don't think I EVER would've thought of Vampire Garcia. I love you..thank you for always betaing my stuff, too…you add "sparkle" to my life…in more than one way! :)

* * *

**Chapter 20-The Epilogue**

"That was awful," Penelope groused as they walked out of the movie theater. Normally, she was a happy cinema patron, and she liked most movies, but this... She swore she could feel the steam rising from her head.

"It wasn't that bad."

Derek had his arm around her shoulders, and she had her arm around his waist like usual, except this time, they stood maybe a hair closer to one another. Well, not really. They'd always stood incredibly close. It served to remind her: they were a couple even before they were _officially_ a couple.

She shot him an incredulous look and then started the tirade that had been coming since about fifteen minutes into the film. "There was nothing even remotely realistic about that movie! The way he turned into a bat, how he was uber strong, even that fog that followed him around."

Derek sighed heavily. "I hate to say it, but I told you going to a vampire movie was a bad idea…"

"Yes, you were right," she decided begrudgingly with a pout, and then continued, "but I didn't think they'd be that bad. It was beyond campy to downright insulting, and—"

"At least they got the sexy bite right..."

The low timbre in Derek's voice caused a sweet thrill to race across Penelope's skin. The sensuality of the bite she'd given him was something neither of them would ever forget. It was also the only residuals from the entire event; they both still had faint puncture wounds on their necks. Deep down, she hoped they'd never go away completely. It reminded her that they were soul mates.

Sighing with dramatic flair, she said, "I'll give them that."

"That's my agreeable girl," he teased, kissing the top of her head.

Penelope snuggled happily into his side as they continued toward his car.

Moments later, they arrived at Derek's house. He tossed his keys on the entry table and toed off his shoes.

"Ready for bed?" he asked.

Penelope yawned. She was already sleepy; it had been a long day. "Mmm hmm...I could use a little sleep."

Looping his arms around her waist, he gave her the sexy smirk she'd adored for years and was now only hers. "Who said anything about going to sleep?"

"I should've known better," she purred, looping her arms around his neck in reply as he leaned down to kiss her cheek, her jaw, and the length of her neck.

"Hell, yes, you should've," he growled softly, giving her a playful nip that made her nipples harden and her groin tingle. "Need some caffeine?"

There were electrodes attached to Derek's mouth; she was certain of it. There was no other excuse for the lightening that rolled through her body whenever he touched her. One thousand watts of pure pleasure, wrapped up in a delicious, milk chocolate package.

Not to be outdone, she kissed him soundly, tangling her tongue with his, drawing a groan of satisfaction from them both. "I'm wide awake now."

They continued kissing and shedding clothes as they made their way up the stairs to his bedroom, laughing as they occasionally stumbled. By the time they reached the room, they were in their underwear only.

Derek unfastened her bra, and she shrugged out of it, letting it drop to the floor.

"Oh, hell, yes..."

He was staring at her chest. He was such a breast man, and heaven knows with forty double Ds, she had a lot of breast to offer! Thinking to tease him and make him wait—good things came to those that waited, after all—she stepped away from him. She saw moonlight streaming from the open windows. Backing up, she turned so it coated her body and opened her arms. "Come and get me, tiger."

The look of lust that came over him made the teasing worth it.

Moving toward her, he reached out and cupped her breasts, flicking his thumbs over the tips. "I love this new lotion you're using."

Penelope smiled and then frowned just a little in confusion. "What new lotion?"

"This stuff with glitter," he said, leaning down to place a kiss on top of the curve of one breast. "It makes your body shine."

"Derek...I'm not wearing lotion."

He lifted his head. "What?"

She was still frowning. "I'm not."

"Baby," Derek said slowly, "you have to be. You're sparkling in the moonlight."

Penelope rushed to the bathroom. In the regular light, she looked just like herself. Taking a mirror, she went to the spot with the sun streaming in, and sure enough...she glittered. Not quite as dramatically as she'd thought—she was thinking disco ball glitter—but she did sparkle.

"Wow," she said, looking up at Derek. "At least it's not my face. This I can deal with...and I kind of like it."

He smiled as he ran a finger over her nipple and then circled it, making her shiver. "I do, too."

She couldn't help it; she had to look in the mirror again. She was awestruck when she said, "Amazing..."

"It is."

"It's another vampire residual," she said seriously, putting the mirror down. "It has to be. One more thing right from new school: glitter. Like Twili—"

"Don't say it," Derek groused. "Don't start that old school vamp versus new school argument again..."

Stepping closer, she ran her hands over his chest and then rested them on his shoulders. "Then do something to make me stop arguing," she teased suggestively.

And he did.


End file.
